


I'll Be Home for Christmas

by marinebear



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Childhood Friends, Drinking, Hallmark AU, Inspired by Hallmark Christmas Movies, M/M, Suga hates his hometown, daichi is a hallmark hunk, daichi runs a christmas tree farm, everyone is gay and dating in this universe i dont care i. dont care, friends(?) to lovers, is water wet? discuss, kuroo is a realtor LOL, no beta we die like daichi, suga is a businesswoman returning to her hometown for the holidays, suga pov, tendou <3, they're a little mean to each other at the start not going to lie, well not exactly mean just bitchy, you can definitely tell what an asahi simp i am
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:20:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 27,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28995876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marinebear/pseuds/marinebear
Summary: Sugawara Koushi thought he'd never have to see his hometown again.More importantly, he thought he'd never have to see Sawamura Daichi again.He was wrong on both counts.Or: The Hallmark movie AU that nobody asked for.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. 24 days until Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A week, tops," he mumbled to himself. "A week to sell the damn farm and get back home. Just a week. That's all."

Suga couldn't believe he was back here.

He shook his head as he turned down the familiar street leading into his hometown, even though there was no one else in his car. "God, please get me out of here quick."

The welcome sign greeted him, and he rolled his eyes. Hanging off the bottom of the sign was a smaller wooden sign, announcing that there were 24 days until Christmas. He had forgotten how obsessed everyone was with all that. Suga was no Grinch, but he didn't see the hype. He worked in advertising. He knew that Christmas wasn't even recognizable anymore - companies just used the warm fuzzies that everyone got at the mention of Christmas to get people to spend, spend, spend. That's it.

"A week, tops," he mumbled to himself. "A week to sell the damn farm and get back home. Just a week. That's all."

He grabbed his phone from the seat next to him and clicked a contact, putting it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"I don't think I can do this," Suga sighed into the phone. There was an annoying laugh on the other end.

"You have to!"

"Don't make me," Suga whined. "Don't make me, Oikawa. I'm not strong enough."

"What's so bad?" Oikawa asked. "I mean, at least you get time off work."

"My grandpa _died_ , Oikawa," Suga said with overexaggerated pain that he definitely did not actually feel. "I'm in _mourning_."

Oikawa snorted. "You told me two days ago that you barely knew him."

"I know! I didn't know him at all! So why do I have to be here? Why me?" Suga sighed. "I don't know why he chose me to leave the stupid farm to. I literally cannot think of a worse person."

"I don't know. I think you would look cute in overalls."

"I'm not going to _run_ the farm, dumbass. Do I look like a farmer to you? I'm going to get down there and sell it as quickly as possible. Hey, maybe that’s what my grandpa wanted! He was broke from running a stupid Christmas tree farm, but he wanted to give me some money. It all makes sense now."  


"Somehow I don't think that's what he had in mind."

"Okay, what do you suggest, genius?"

"I dunno. Maybe he wants you to get in the Christmas spirit."

Suga actually growled in frustration. "Oh my God. Not this again."

"I'm just saying! You could be a little less... Grinch."

"Um, the Grinch had tons of Christmas spirit."

"In what world?"

"At the end of the movie," Suga mumbled. Oikawa giggled.

"You're stupid. Maybe your grandpa just wanted to see you fail to run a Christmas tree farm. I mean, _I_ think it would be funny to watch you struggle."

"Thanks. And again, I'm not going to run it, dumbass. And even if I was, I'd have to _find_ it first." Suga was trying to remember his way to the Christmas tree farm, but he hadn't been home since he had graduated high school. He had gone there every Christmas up until middle school, but maybe it was so awful that his brain had blocked it out? Suga nodded. That had to be it.

Oikawa lost it on the other end. "You don't know how to get to your own Christmas tree farm? You're pathetic! You really are a Grinch!"

"Shut up! I -"

Suga paused.

Oikawa was silent for a moment, and then he said, "...Hello? My darling? My -"

"Shh."

Suga was staring down at his console. He quickly turned off the radio, which was quietly playing ads (already Christmas themed, barf) and listened carefully. 

"Oh Jesus. I'm so fucking dumb."

Oikawa laughed. "Sure. What happened?"

"No, Oikawa, this is really - this really sucks."

"What? What happened?"

" _I’m out of gas_."

The line was silent for a moment before Oikawa began to cackle. "Why didn't you - why didn't you go get _gas_?" He asked incredulously. "That's, like, the easiest thing to prevent!"

Suga pulled over and smacked his head against the steering wheel. "I thought I would have enough," he said remorsefully. "I can't believe I did this. I'm so stupid. And I still don't know where the farm is."

He had pulled over on the short stretch of country road into town. He could see the buildings in the near distance, and with every car that passed he was hyper-aware of the very real possibility that any of them may contain someone he knew in high school. He shuddered at the thought and leaned back in his seat.

"Why don't you just Google Maps it?"

Suga sighed. "It's not _on_ Google Maps. Nothing in this stupid town is. I mean, I might be able to enter the exact address, if I knew it."

"Okay, this town honestly does sound like Hell. I would tell you to just start driving back here, if you weren't -"

"If I weren't out of gas, yeah. Hilarious. I'm about to start walking."

Oikawa actually gasped. "You don't even know where it is!"

"I'm desperate. I just want to get there. I just want to get there and get a thing of gas and then get. The fuck. Out. As quick as possible. And if _walking_ is the quickest way to get out of this, then walking it is."

"Why don't you just call your mom?"

Suga laughed sharply. "And owe her a favor? I would rather die. I have to go."

"Suga, really, don't walk. You'll freeze to death."

"I'll be fine. Bye."

Suga hung up without giving Oikawa the chance to say anything else. He had no other choice. He would find this farm if his life depended on it. He stepped out of the car into the bitter December air and started toward town.

*** 

Suga was freezing to death. He was actually, genuinely, going to freeze to death. He had always wondered how he might die, but he had never thought it would be in his hometown.

The sun was going down, and Suga looked down at his phone, which told him it was 4:50 already. Fuck December. There was no need for the sun to go down this early. He shook his head and shoved his hands back under his armpits, trying not to think about the fact that his phone was on 3%. This was passing from an annoying situation to downright dangerous. If he didn't find this stupid farm soon he was genuinely going to die out here.

“God, J - Jesus - why didn’t I j - just go h - _home_ first?” he asked out loud to no one in particular, stuttering against his chattering teeth. “N - No. I just had t - to go check out the ssstupid _farm_.” He hugged himself tighter. “J - Just real quick! N - no big d - _deal_ or anything.”

He had passed all the way through town, thankfully not running into anyone he knew. He remembered that the farm was out in the country, so he had continued down the main road. Now there were just icy fields as far as the eye could see. Suga looked across them. Maybe he could dig himself a shallow grave if he started right now. Do a nice proper burial ceremony.

He was about to actually head into one of the fields - just to scope them out, not to actually dig his own grave (not yet) - when he heard the roar of a car down the road. His eyes widened. He whipped around to see bright headlights coming down the road, shining out from an old red pickup truck. Suga really didn't feel like getting hate crimed by some old Republican, but he was desperate. He began to desperately wave his hands above his head, gesturing at the car to stop. Miraculously, it slowed and then stopped on the road, the windows still up. Suga ran up to the passenger side.

The window slowly rolled down, and Suga saw the person driving, and -

Oh.

Oh no.

Sawamura Daichi.

He wanted to cry. There were worse people he could have run into, sure - but he hadn't wanted to see anyone from high school, and his middle school best friend was no exception.

He had filled out really nicely, Suga couldn’t help but notice. He always was a big kid, but he had sort of broadened out into a muscular frame. He had the same face, though - big brown eyes and that haircut he hadn't changed since the fourth grade. He started when he saw Suga.

"Oh my - Suga?"

Suga laughed regretfully, his teeth chattering. "...Yeah. It's me. Could I get in? I'm freezing."

Daichi leaned over and opened the passenger side door, and Suga scrambled in and shut it. He was hit with a blast of sweet, comfortable, _warm_ air. 

Daichi was being quiet, but Suga could feel his eyes watching. He rubbed his hands on his face in a vain attempt to warm it up and then turned.

"So this is super embarrassing."

Daichi gave him a crooked smile. "You were heading to the farm, right?"

Suga nodded.

Daichi cocked his head to the side. "And you thought... You thought walking was the best way to get there?"

 _Shut up_ , Suga thought. Maybe if he hadn't been gone so long, he would have said it out loud. Instead, he said. "No, I... Can you drive while we talk? To the farm?"

Daichi raised his eyebrows further and then shrugged, turning back to the wheel and throwing his old stick-shift truck into drive. Suga looked around him in wonder.

"Is this - oh my God, is this Roberta?"

Daichi smiled. "Yup. The very same."

"I didn't think you'd still have her. Remember when you flipped her in the parking lot of the high school?"

Daichi snorted. "You mean my life's most traumatic event? How could I forget?"

Suga was laughing a little now. " _Your_ life? I think it was Asahi’s most traumatic event, and he wasn’t even in the car. I thought he was going to burst a blood vessel.”

"I really thought I pissed myself."

"I know! You wouldn't stop telling the resource officer that you were -" Suga was laughing weakly and trying to warm his hands in front of the heater - "that you were sorry. That you were so embarrassed."

"Yeah, I think she thought I was talking about the car. I was definitely talking about the pee."

"Which wasn't even there," Suga added.

"Which wasn't even there. Yes."

"Or that time you hit Noya's car?"

Daichi laughed. "His parked car, yes. Roberta was the menace of the Karasuno High School parking lot."

"I thought Asahi was going to burst a blood vessel then, too," Suga said, looking into the distance as he recalled. 

"Yeah, but that was only because he thought Noya was in the car when I hit it."

Suga pointed at him, warming up now. "That's right! He had the biggest crush, didn't he?"

"Kid had it _bad_ ," said Daichi, and then he didn't say anything for a moment. "Y'know, I didn't think you would remember all that stuff."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you've just been gone so long. Halfway across the country. I thought you must have forgotten about this place."

Suga rolled his eyes. "I wish I could forget this place."

Daichi glanced over at him. "I bet I could find a few people here who wish they could forget about you."

Suga narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, you're not exactly... well-loved here. Y'know?" Daichi paused and took his eyes off the road for a moment to look at his passenger. "You did... know that?"

"... _What?_ "

Daichi shrugged. "I mean, you left. And you never... you never said anything after that."

Suga furrowed his eyebrows. "Am I missing something?"

"What do you mean?"

Suga felt his previous humor dissolving back into that special brand of distaste that only people from his hometown could provoke. Everyone here thought he owed them something. That was their problem. They thought he owed them a phone call, or a visit back, or Christmas. But he didn't have to give them those things. He had actively been trying to escape from this place when he had left, so why should he come back? Why would he ever come back?

"We weren't friends. I'm under no obligation to talk to you. I wasn't then and I'm not now. What did you want? A postcard?"

Daichi stared out at the road for a while, and Suga felt his face flush. Shit. Why was he being rude to the only person who had offered to give him a ride?

"We weren't friends?" Daichi asked quietly, his tone unreadable. Suga quickly attempted to backtrack.

"I mean - maybe we were once. In middle school. But you - we - how do you know I never talked to anyone else here? Maybe someone I was closer with?"

Daichi glanced over at him. "Damn, you really don't know anything, do you?"

Okay, so he was an asshole. Had he always been this big of an asshole? Suga didn’t remember. "What are you talking about? I don't even - that's just so -"

"I manage the Christmas tree farm."

"Wh - you do?"

Daichi laughed, and Suga couldn't tell if he was annoyed or just amused. "Yeah. I do. And do you want to know the best part of my job?"

Suga squinted at him, trying to see what he was playing at. "What?"

"I get to do it all with my good friend Asahi. Maybe you know him."

Suga felt his stomach drop. He hadn't talked to Asahi in... his eyes widened as he realized he hadn't even called. They had texted a few times, in the early days of Suga's time away; but it had always been brief and strangely stunted, even though they had been close in high school. And Asahi had always texted first.

Until he had just stopped.

Had Suga really been too busy to notice that he had stopped? Shit.

He breathed out. "You - Asahi works there too?"

"Sugawara, things have changed a lot around here. Your grandpa technically owned the farm, but he didn't run it." Daichi paused for a moment. "Towards the end there he wasn't even able to come see us," he added quietly.

"Oh," Suga said awkwardly. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry to me? He's your grandpa."

Suga looked down at his hands. "Yeah. I guess so."

"So Asahi and I manage it around Christmas time. Y'know, I think he'll even be happy to see you when we get there. He still talks about how proud he is of you."

"Wh.. he does?"

"Yeah. All the rest of us got bored of you. But he never really did." There was an almost imperceptible edge of bitterness in his voice.

And then there was an awkward silence.

 _Why, god? Why did you not just let me die?_ Suga asked the universe. _And why did I not just call Asahi once in a while?_

Daichi cleared his throat. "Anyway."

"Anyway," Suga agreed.

"So I'm dying to know."

"Know what."

Daichi sighed sarcastically, and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel for a moment. “I mean - well. You’re certainly under no _obligation_ to tell me. I’m not going to make you, since you’re obviously so busy doing - what is it that you left to do again?”

Suga looked mildly over at him, trying not to give him what he wanted. “Advertising.”

Daichi took his eyes off the road for a full five seconds just to stare at him. “Since you’re so busy doing… advertising.”

“Just - what do you want to know?” Suga asked, exasperated. Now that he was warm, he was significantly less grateful that Daichi was here.

"I want to know what the hell you were doing walking to the farm in the freezing cold, that's what. Did you just think it was a nice day?"

Suga groaned. "I don't have to tell you anything. Or anyone. Ever. Nobody will ever know anything."

Daichi didn't say anything, but Suga felt the car slow to a stop. Painstakingly slow, peacefully, Daichi put it in park and turned to Suga.

"If you don't tell me, I'm kicking you out of my car."

He was kind of scary.

And unfortunately handsome, added some part of Suga's mind. Shut up.

Suga tried to hold his gaze, but it burned, and he gave in quickly. "Fine! Fine. I'll tell you. Just don't look at me while I say it. And you can't laugh."

"I will almost certainly laugh," Daichi said as he got going again.

"I ran out of gas."

Daichi did, in fact, laugh - a loud, sharp bark of a laugh. "That is literally the easiest mistake to avoid."

Suga put his head in his hands. "I know. I know. So then I thought, well, I can kind of remember where the farm is. I guess I'll just walk, it can't be too far, right?"

Daichi giggled. "Yeah, no, it's a little ways out here. You probably would have died if I hadn't picked you up, huh?"

Suga remembered the point where he had been inclined to dig his own grave, and shivered. Yeah, he really might have died. But he wasn’t going to tell Daichi that - hell no. "Well, I don't know if _died_ is the right -"

"Nah, you would have died. Which means you owe your life to me."

"Slow down there, buster. Take me out to dinner first." Suga didn’t know why he said that. Maybe he was just used to being playfully flirty with Oikawa (although sometimes when Oikawa did it, it seemed like maybe he was only half-joking. And sometimes when Suga did it, he _was_ only half-joking. So maybe they were just… actually flirting. Suga tried not to think about that).

Daichi snorted. "Yeah, not happening anytime soon. What I mean is that you're indebted to me. Forever."

"Forever?"

"Forever. This is your life now. But what was your plan after you got to the farm?" Daichi added, returning them to the topic at hand, much to Suga's chagrin. "Just, like - were you going to walk home too?"

"I don't know! I didn't plan that far! I was pretty sure I was just going to have to die in the frozen wastes."

"So where's your car?"

"Right outside of town."

"So you're going to need a ride home, too, then?" Daichi asked with a sideways glance.

"Well, yes - but do you think Asahi could take me?"

"What, you haven't enjoyed our car ride?"

Suga pursed his lips. He wasn't sure if he had. "I don't know. The power dynamic is kind of weird now that I've learned I'm forever indebted to you."

Daichi shrugged. "We can go over the specifics later."

"What, do you have somewhere to be?"

"No, but you do. We're here."

Daichi pointed out the windshield, and the headlights turned upon the old Christmas tree farm.

It was going to be a long week.

***

The gift shop was situated in a small shed next to the food barn. Upon walking in, Suga was immediately bombarded with the clutter; it seemed like most of the items came from local craftspeople, and many didn't even have a price tag. It was cozy and warm, likely thanks to the two space heaters behind the counter and the thick curtains in front of the windows.

Asahi was behind the counter, wearing a white button down with the sleeves rolled up, mostly covered by a dark green apron. His hair was still long - even longer than it had been in high school - and it was up in a messy bun, a few strands falling into his face. Even sitting, he looked huge inside the tiny converted shed. His head popped up when Daichi opened the door, and he smiled warmly.

"Daichi! Hey, I was just -" Asahi paused as Suga sheepishly stepped into the shed. He looked utterly surprised. "Suga?"

Suga laughed awkwardly. "Uh, yeah. It's me."

Asahi stood up and quickly closed the short distance between them, scooping Suga up into a bear hug. "I missed you! I knew you were coming back, because of the whole - y'know. The grandpa thing. But nobody knew when, so -" Asahi quickly put Suga down. "S-sorry about that, by the way. That really sucks. Yeah." He pushed a strand of hair behind his ear like a nervous teenage girl. "But anyway! Yeah, um, yeah. Glad you're back. Didn't expect you this soon."

Suga nodded. "I'm... glad to see you too," he said, which wasn't a lie. He wasn't glad to be back, but he was glad to see Asahi. "Wait, did everyone know I was coming back?" He turned to Daichi.

Daichi laughed. "Uh, yeah. Your mom told us everything."

Suga rolled his eyes. "Jesus. That woman."

"Don't badmouth her! Look!" Asahi scooped a few handmade wooden ornaments, all shaped like Christmas trees, out of a bowl to his left. "She made these for us!"

Suga inspected one. "Why would you want an ornament shaped like a Christmas tree to put on your Christmas tree?"

Asahi dropped them back into the bowl. "To remember the experience, Suga. Wow, it's really like a whole high school reunion, huh?"

"Oh, yeah - Tanaka and Noya are here, too. They were in the year below us, remember?" Daichi asked Suga. "And now that I think about it, Kiyoko works here during the season too."

"You - you all stayed?" Suga asked before he could stop himself. "None of you left?"

Asahi looked at him, and Suga thought he saw a tiny bit of sadness in his eyes. "Nope. Just you."

They were silent for a moment before Daichi clapped his hands. "We're just about to close up for the night. We can go check out the food barn and this year's trees if you want?" He said to Suga, who nodded.

"Food barn sounds good. I'm sure the trees look great, so we don’t really need to..." he trailed off. He had had enough of being outside for the day. For the week.

Daichi smiled. "Food barn it is," he said, and it was only slightly patronizing.

They headed the short distance over to the barn, which was set up with a popcorn machine, hot chocolate maker, and plates of cookies. There were also long tables housing even more of the handmade crafts - it seemed like one or two individual craftspeople had rented out tables to sell their specific product. Suga was interested particularly in an old man selling wooden bowls, but he kept himself from going over to check it out.

"It's not really much of a food barn, to be honest, but we've got cookies," Daichi said as they approached the back of the barn. Sitting behind the hot chocolate machine was Kiyoko, along with a small blonde girl that Suga had never seen before.

"Hey, Daichi," Kiyoko said. "Suga, you're back."

She was just as mild as ever, thank God. Suga didn't think he could stand another person commenting on how awful he was for leaving. "Yeah."

"Cookie?" Daichi said, picking a chocolate chip cookie off of one of the plates. "They're free."

"Free?"

"Yup!" He shoved the cookie in his own mouth and picked up another one. "Last chance."

"I can just grab one myself. Why are they free? Wouldn't it make more sense to charge?"

"It's not about the money, Suga," Daichi said, swallowing. "They're free because it's Christmas. Now take this damn cookie."

Suga inspected the cookie perched on Daichi's gloved hand. "Is it keto?"

Daichi stared at him for a moment. "Uh... What?"

Suga shook his head. "Never mind. I'll just... grab some hot chocolate."

"For free," Daichi said.

"For free."

"You ladies can go ahead and start cleaning up for the night. Make sure to unplug the heaters and then you guys are good to leave. Have a good night!" With that, he walked out of the barn, leaving Suga to scramble after him, styrofoam cup in hand.

Outside of the barn, Daichi turned to him, another cookie in his hand. He munched it as he spoke. "I'm just going to go start getting the guys in the field ready to go. Asahi's probably going to head out soon, so if you're gonna catch a ride with him, you might want to head back over to the gift shop." He finished the cookie. "You can meet the field guys later. They're... interesting."

"Tanaka and Noya?"

"No, a few new guys. Tanaka and Noya already left. They help people shake out the trees, tie them onto the cars, that kind of thing."

Suga nodded. "Alright. I'm gonna... um... go to the gift shop now."

Daichi was just staring at him. "Cool."

"Yeah."

But neither of them moved.

"Are you waiting for something?" Suga asked.

"Oh, I don't know."

"You obviously do."

"Nope. Just... standing here. Looking at a guy who would be dead if I hadn't driven him here."

"Oh, a thank you? Is that what you want?"

Daichi shrugged. "I mean, wouldn't hurt."

Suga rolled his eyes. "Well. Thank you."

"Now that didn't seem like you meant it."

"Well I did." He hadn’t, not really. 

Daichi shrugged again. "Sure."

"So I'm gonna go. Over to the gift shop. And you're gonna go... down to the field."

"If you say so."

"Yeah. Uh. Bye."

Suga turned around and began to walk toward the gift shop, and felt Daichi's eyes on his back for a moment longer before he heard his footsteps leading away.

Suga dumped the hot chocolate on the ground. It tasted like shit anyway, and he didn't feel like sweets at the moment. It steamed as it hit cold gravel.

Suga peeked his head back into the gift shop to see Asahi pulling on a black peacoat. "Oh, hey again," Asahi said as he shoved his car keys into his pocket. "Need something?"

"Yeah, um... do you still remember where my house is?"

Asahi gave him a strange look. "I - I think so."

"Could you drive me there?"

"Of course. C'mon, I'm going to my car right now."

Suga followed him out to a car that was entirely too small for a man of Asahi's size and got in the passenger side. It smelled like a crisp car freshener and mint.

As Asahi got into the other side, practically shaking the whole car as he did so, Suga wondered why they had never gotten together. Suga couldn't even remember ever having a crush on Asahi, which was crazy, because Suga had had a crush on most of his friends at some point. And Asahi was gorgeous. Especially now. God, had everyone gotten more good-looking? _Maybe it’s the hometown charm,_ Suga thought bitterly, and resisted the urge to laugh.

They made light conversation throughout the short drive to Suga's old house - about the Christmas tree business, about Suga's job, about Asahi's new houseplant. He pulled up in front of Suga's house, and Suga stared up at it with apprehension.

"Thanks for the ride, man."

"Yeah, no problem," said Asahi as Suga got out. "It's really great that you're back."

"Yeah."

He hadn't closed the door yet.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Suga said.

"Sure. Always."

"Did you and Noya ever end up together?"

Asahi practically choked. "Wh - me and Noya? Why would I - I mean - no. I don't - that's - what - no, yeah, no. No! Not - I don't want to. _Didn't_ want to. Didn't. That's not - yeah, that's not my thang. No. We didn't, no."

"Did you say thang?"

"Yeah, I did. For sure. Uh - what do you… did Daichi say something?"

Suga was smiling a little bit now. "You really thought none of us ever noticed?"

Asahi sighed. "I just thought you guys were too polite to say anything about it. But I guess I should have never expected politeness from you."

"There you go. Do you still like him?"

"Hey, what's with the - with the third degree, here, okay? I'm not - I'm not looking for anything like that. With Noya. Or anyone!" Asahi shook his head. "Why - why do you ask?"

"Daichi and I were just talking about it in the car. Remember when Daichi hit Noya's car in the parking lot and you thought he was dead?"

Asahi furrowed his eyebrows, and he looked somber for a moment. "Yeah, I do.” He paused, searching for the words. “...I didn't think you would remember things like that,” he said in a smaller voice.

Suga sighed. "You're not the first person to tell me that. Thanks for the ride, Asahi."

"Of course. See you later."

"See you." Suga closed the door and faced the beast that was his front door with valor. Slowly but surely, he brought his hand up to the door and knocked.

Asahi drove off as the door opened.

Suga gulped. 

Just a week. Just a week.

All I have to do is last a week, Suga told himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello kings and queens <3 this concept came to me in a dream so obviously I woke up and wrote an entire nine chapter outline in one sitting. Anyway I'm updating on Mondays and Fridays (hopefully) (i am a student and also i want to die every day)(but I will do my best)
> 
> side note i really did have a friend who somehow flipped his car over in the parking lot of my high school. he also thought that he peed himself. there was somehow minimal damage on the car and he still drives it
> 
> chiwtsmas.... <3


	2. 22 days until Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn't need to take his car. Again, he was really good at walking, and where he was headed wasn't far anyway.
> 
> He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before: drinking!

Every time Suga woke up in his old room he wanted to vomit. 

He sat up and looked around, as he did every morning. His mom hadn't taken anything down. He supposed he should be grateful that she loved him enough to keep his room as it was instead of converting it to a home gym or something - but part of him wished she _had_ done something like that. He would have preferred sleeping on the couch. 

Same radio on the desk, same plant in the corner (his mom must have been watering it, because it was miraculously still alive), same photo booth pictures that he and Asahi had recreated every year of high school. He had considered taking those down and sticking them in his bag to take back to the city when he left, but he wasn't sure that was a good idea. 

His mom had been almost tearful when he had stepped through the door two nights ago. Where had he been, she had been expecting him earlier, how was the city, that sort of thing. She grilled him for two hours before she finally let him go to bed, thank God.

Suga guessed it could have been worse.

She could have grilled him for three.

He sighed, stretched, and stood up, walking over to the closet. All his old clothes were still here, too - they still fit, and anyway, he hadn't gone to get his bag out of his car yet. It still sat on the side of the road, as far as he knew. He resolved to take his mom's car and a canister of gas over to it today, to get it back up and running.

Aside from that and figuring out his realtor situation, Suga had absolutely nothing to do today.  
That was something he had forgotten about his hometown. There was literally nothing to do. Nothing at all. Well, except talk to his mom - which he would prefer to avoid. He loved his mom, of course - he wasn't a monster - but she could be... a lot. He didn't have any siblings, no matter how much he wished he did, and his father wasn't in the picture. It had always been just him and his mom. 

He looked at the clock on the radio. 12:30, Jesus Christ. Suga never slept this late in the city. He listened for his mom upstairs, but he didn't hear anything - she must be out.

He showered, brushed his teeth, and got dressed. If he was going to go put gas in his car, he was going to have to find some sort of gas canister somewhere. He figured the garage was a good place to start? Surely his mom would have some. She did - about a half gallon left - but it occurred to Suga that he couldn't very well take his mom's car over to his own if she was out using it. He peeked out the window, and sure enough, the driveway was empty. Fine. He was good at walking in the cold, he had learned. Can you be good at something like that? Yes, he decided. And he was great at it. 

He threw on a hoodie and his coat - not the light one that he had brought with him, but his heavier one from high school - and, pulling on a pair of gloves and a scarf, stepped outside.  
The car wasn't too far away, but it was far enough that he felt like a jackass just carrying around this gas canister. Luckily, no one from school drove by (at least, Suga didn't notice if they did) and he was able to fill up his car and get down to the gas station.

He parked his car in the driveway and went back in. He checked his watch.

2:30. Would this day never end? He was ready to go to bed. His realtor hunt wasn't going well, either; apparently, no one was going to want to buy a Christmas tree farm. There wasn't really a market for it.

But Suga was sure it would be fine. So maybe it would be more than a week. So what? A week and a half, maybe. 

It would be fine.

***

_He had to get out of this house._

His mom had gotten home from the grocery store and forced him to watch a Christmas movie marathon with her - well. 'Forced' is probably the wrong word. It was more like she guilt tripped him into watching a Christmas movie marathon. He had finally escaped up to his room (just like high school, his brain kept saying), and milled around for a few hours, flipping through a few books on his bookshelf. He even played a few of his old DS games, but it wasn't enough. This was hell. He was so bored. In the city, there was constantly somewhere to go, something to do.  
He flopped down onto his bed and looked at the clock. 8 PM. Suddenly, he had an idea.

He snuck downstairs and poked his head into the living room. Thankfully, his mom had gone to her own room for the night. He pulled on his coat, still slung over the back of one of the dining room chairs, and slipped quietly out the front door.

He didn't need to take his car. Again, he was really good at walking, and where he was headed wasn't far anyway.

He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before: drinking!

Suga had forgotten that there was nothing to do in this town, yes. But he had also forgotten that one of the best ways to cure the boredom was alcohol.

He had never been inside of the Flightless Crow - he hadn't been old enough when he had lived here. But that was where people went to drink, right? Had to be. He had always seen middle aged men going in and out. It was a Thursday night, though, so Suga hoped that not too many people would be there. It occurred to him how sad that was, but he tried not to think about it.

He pushed open the door.

Oh.

_Oh no._

"Hey, Suga's here!"

At the bar sat Daichi, Asahi, Tanaka, Noya, and some guy with black hair who Suga had never seen before. He was tall, and his hair stuck up like he hadn't even tried to brush it after waking up in the morning. He was standing up and leaning both elbows against the counter, grinning like a fox. Noya sat perched on the counter, his legs swinging over the side; Tanaka was slouched over in his stool. Daichi and Asahi sat at the end. Asahi was the one who had exclaimed when Suga entered, turning every eye on him; there was barely anyone else in here.

"Who the hell is Suga?" asked the bartender. He was around their age too; a beefy guy with spiked hair. Suga couldn't tell if he had frosted tips or if it was some weird discoloration, but he was pulling it off well enough.

"Oh, right! You haven't met Suga!" Asahi said. "Come have a drink!"

"Oh, I don't know if -"

"Come meet Bokuto! Oh, and Kuroo!" Asahi stood and pulled Suga over.

The bartender waved. "I'm Bokuto Koutarou! I own the place. Well, me and Akaashi. But he's at home right now. Drink?"

Suga was trying to find a way out of this, but it was getting clearer that he wasn't going to be able to leave without getting at least one drink. "Uhh.. sure."

The black haired guy inspected Suga up and down and then stuck out a hand. "Kuroo."

Suga shook it. "Uh, I'm Sugawara."

"Tanaka, could you grab him a chair?" asked Asahi. Tanaka groaned.

"You do it."

"Just do it, Tanaka," Daichi said, and Tanaka rolled his eyes and stood up. He brought over another barstool.

"Using your manager powers against me. How am I supposed to refuse?" Tanaka said pointedly as he sat the stool down.

"I'm a manager too!" Asahi protested.

"Yeah, but like... are you really?"

"Shut it, Tanaka. What brings you out tonight, Suga?" Daichi asked. Suga shrugged as he sat down on the end next to him.

"I was bored. It's... boring. Around here."

Daichi chuckled. "What, did you forget that?"

"I guess I kind of did. I don't know."

"Well, I mean, while you're in town, you're always welcome to come hang out with us. We're in here most nights," Daichi said. The bartender - Bokuto - slapped a drink down in front of Suga.

"What is this?" Suga asked.

Bokuto shrugged. "You didn't say what you wanted so I just grabbed the cheapest stuff we have. I don't really know the names."

"You don't... know the names?"

"Nah, Akaashi knows all that stuff. He's real smart about all that. And in general. Y'know, he told me one time that he got second place in a spelling bee when he was in middle school. Like, second place out of his whole school! I told him that I was -"

"Sorry, who is Akaashi? Did he go to school with us?" Suga asked Daichi. Daichi was quietly laughing at Bokuto.

"Uh, no. Bokuto and Akaashi went to -"

"Fukurodani! We played you guys a few times. What, you don't remember?" Bokuto was grinning. He seemed like either he was crazy or he had already had a few drinks. Or maybe both.

"I, uh - I wasn't on the team. I mean, I was for a year. But then I wasn't. So I probably didn't get the chance to play you guys," Suga explained awkwardly. Daichi just watched him.

"Oh, okay. I just thought, y'know -"

"Yeah, no. I didn't play,” Suga cut him off, maybe a little too quickly.

"And Kuroo went to Nekoma," Daichi explained. Kuroo leaned over the counter to look down at them.

"You talkin' shit?" he called.

"Yes," Daichi said. "Drink your drink."

Kuroo shrugged and downed it.

Daichi turned back to Suga and opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Tanaka, who had stood and thrown his hands into the air.

"Attention, losers! Attention!" He called. "I have an announcement. An important announcement."

Suga couldn't believe he had forgotten what a dumbass Tanaka was.

"I regret to inform everyone that this will be the last time you will ever see me, Tanaka Ryuunosuke -"

Asahi looked genuinely worried. "What?"

"- As this will be my last night on this earth, and on this mortal plane," Tanaka said, still doing his stupid announcer voice.

Noya snorted. "What? Why?"

"I have just received a text from my girlfriend, Shimizu Kiyoko, that we are done. So I guess ex-girlfriend. I will be taking my own life tonight and streaming it on Instagram Live if anyone wants to watch."

"Oh, no!" Asahi said. "What did you do this time?"

"Don't be an asshole!" Tanaka snapped. "Why do you always assume _I_ did something?"

"Because every time she's done this, it's been because you did something," Daichi said.

"No, but guys, I think she's for realsies this time!" Tanaka whined. "Look at this text. I'll read it. Okay. It says: 'I'm sorry, but we can't do this anymore. I just hope one day you can learn to be _more mature_ -'" he put heavy, mocking air quotes around these words - "'and learn to admit when you are wrong.'"

"No, seriously, man. What did you do?" Kuroo asked.

Tanaka rolled his eyes. "Do you guys want to know the truth? Do you really want to know?"

"Naturally," Daichi said.

"We were arguing over whether water is wet. There! I said obviously water is wet - because it's fucking _water_ \- but she was being all fucking technical about it and I love her but that's just stupid, right? Water is fucking wet. Water is wet. Right?"

Kuroo squinted. "Mmmm, I mean. If you think about it, I can see how someone would say it isn't."

Tanaka growled with fury. "How! How in the world is water not wet!"

Daichi furrowed his eyebrows. "I mean, it depends on how you define wet. If something that's covered in water is wet, how can the water itself be wet? Isn't it just... Water?"

Tanaka stared at him for a good five second before he smacked himself in the head. "It's - it's _wet_! It has to be!"

"Yeah, I think I agree with Tanaka. Like - if a little bit of water on you makes you wet, doesn't a lot of water on you just make you, like, big wet?" Bokuto asked. Everyone turned to look at him, and he just shrugged. "Just saying," he said matter-of-factly, like he had just dropped a truth bomb. 

"Bo, what does that even - whatever. Not the point! Water is wet. Anyway, we got in this big argument about it, and she was all like -" Tanaka began to do a truly embarrassing 'girl voice' - "'Why can't we just be adults about this? This is a stupid thing to argue about -' but SHE'S the one who STARTED THE ARGUMENT. Not my fault that she was wrong! And I told her that!"

Asahi was laughing. "Oh my God, Tanaka. Jesus Christ. That's hilarious."

"What's so fucking funny about that?" Tanaka asked, his voice rising in pitch. "Don't make me mad, man. I'll fucking attack you. I'll go ape shit on your ass. I’m -"

"I have the power to fire you, y'know," Asahi reminded him.

"I think what Asahi means," Daichi said, "is that it's funny that you broke up with her over that. Like - why were you even talking about that in the first place?"

"I don't know! I just saw some people talking about it on Twitter and I was like oh my God babe look how stupid this is and then we were screaming at each other. But yeah. Rest in peace Tanakiyoko. We had a good run."

"Nobody called you guys Tanakiyoko," Noya said. "Plus, you guys are going to get back together in like two weeks like you always do. This is old news. Give me new shit."

"I don't have any new shit! This is the new shit! Hot off the fucking presses and it's _still_ not enough for you, you tiny vulture." Tanaka flicked Noya in the head and flopped into one of the smaller chairs stationed at a nearby table. "I think we're really done this time, though. Like for real."

"You say that every single time, Tanaka. It loses its value," Daichi said, sipping his drink.

"My heart is broken and you're telling me about the value of my fucking words? Jesus, man. The system. So fucking broken."

"Are you drunk already?" Asahi asked. Tanaka just flipped him off.

"Okay, but - water _is_ wet," Suga said thoughtfully. He hadn't even really meant to say it out loud, but now everyone was looking at him.

"Thank you, Suga!" Tanaka said, pointing to him. "Tell 'em! Tell the people the truth!"

Suga shrugged. "I mean, you have to think about what you consider 'wet' to even mean, right? So if 'wet' means that something has water on it..." Suga faltered for a moment. "Then doesn't water have water on it?"

Daichi snorted. "Y'know, I forgot how eloquent you are."

"No, listen! Like... if you're submerged in water, you're wet, aren't you?" Suga asked. Bokuto pointed at him.

"See! That's what I was trying to say. Big wet, little wet. Don't make no difference to me," he said. He seemed a little confused, but Suga was glad he had someone on his side.

Daichi raised his eyebrows. "Alright. You've got Bokuto. And Tanaka. On your side."

"Hey, why you gotta say the names like that! I don't like what you're implying, boss man!" Tanaka shouted, pointing at Daichi.

Daichi shrugged flippantly. "Just telling you. Those are the two people you have backing you and your incorrect opinion. Tanaka. And Bokuto."

"Yeah, man! Up top!" Bokuto said. Again, he didn't really seem to get what Daichi was saying, but he looked so excited for a high five that Suga couldn't help but gingerly touch his hand to Bokuto's.

"You don't know they're the only ones! Asahi, what do you think?" Suga asked. Asahi's eyes widened.

"Uh, me? I don't... I don't really know."

Daichi held up a hand. "How about we just put it to a vote. Raise your hand if you think water is wet." Suga, Tanaka, and Bokuto raised their hands. "Okay, now raise your hand if you think it isn't." Noya, Kuroo, and Daichi raised their hands. All eyes centered on Asahi. "You're the tiebreaker, buddy," Daichi said, and Asahi started to sweat.

"I - I mean - that didn't even solve anything! Now there's just more pressure!" Asahi trilled. Daichi shrugged.

"What's the verdict, then? Wet or not?"

"You know I'm not good when you put me on the spot like -"

"Five. Four. Three. Two -"

" _Don't count!_ No, I don't think it's wet!" Asahi shouted, and there was a cheer.

"Asahi, you traitor!" Suga shouted. Asahi shrugged with a small, nervous smile.

"I mean... I got what you were saying. About the, uh. The Big Wet," he said.

"Can we please not go with the Big Wet as our team's argument? I think you guys are clinging to that when it doesn't represent our true standpoint," Suga said.

"Plus, just because you use democracy doesn't make something true!" Tanaka shouted. "This isn't over, mother fuckers! The world will know just how wet water can be!"

"What does that _mean?_ " Asahi asked, bewildered. Tanaka just put a finger to his lips and winked, and Asahi actually jumped.

Daichi turned back to Suga. "See? It's not boring. We have riveting, stimulating conversation."

"Yes, stimulating. Riveting. My brain is tingling."

"That might just be the booze. You need another one?"

Suga looked down at his cup, which was almost empty. Damn, had he really drank it that fast?

"No, I - I shouldn't. I should be getting home."

"What, you came out to have _one_ drink?"

"I was - I was just passing by," Suga lied.

"C'mon. I'll buy you this one."

How was he supposed to pass that up? He rolled his eyes. "Fine. One more."

It did not end up being just one more. It didn't end up being two more. In fact, Suga didn't really know how many he had had. All he knew was that it was near 11 PM at this point and there was a comfortable heat in his cheeks.

Against his better judgment, he had actually stayed and had some fun with these guys, a feat he didn't really think possible in this town. 

"And then Oikawa - Oikawa's this guy from back home - I mean, in the city - he goes to _punch_ the guy. Which is, y’know, hilarious, because I don't think Oikawa's punched anyone ever in his life. And he still hasn't, because the guy moves out of the way and Oikawa slams his hand into the brick wall."

"Oh my God! Was he okay?" Asahi asked. Suga giggled.

"He broke two fingers and the guy slammed his head against the wall too before he ran away. Stitches in his forehead. Hilarious."

"That's not - wh - that's not hilarious, oh my God!" Asahi said, laughing.

"That's hilarious. You fuckin' city people, man," Tanaka said, taking a drink. Suga furrowed his eyebrows.

"What?"

"You city people. You think - I mean, not _you_ you. Just like. People. From the city. Think they got some sorta... I mean, you all think you're invincible."

Daichi raised his eyebrows and looked over at Tanaka. "Jesus, dude. Rude."

"What? I didn't mean him! Suga, buddy. I don't mean you. I mean your friend Oikawa. He sounds like a dumbass."

Suga was annoyed now, but he didn't want to get in any fights and ruin the night. "Yeah. Yeah, he is."

There was a silence for a moment before Suga, against his better judgement, kept talking.

"I mean, but it goes both ways. Some stuff sucks here too,” he pointed out.

Daichi raised an eyebrow. "List them."

"Huh?"

"The stuff that sucks."

"What, you want me to provide an itemized list?"

"Sure."

Suga looked at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"I just want to know everything you don't like about people from here so I can make sure to do those things as often as possible. Nothing nefarious."

Suga rolled his eyes. "Fine. Uh... you guys celebrate Christmas way too hard."

"Okay, I'm going to stop you right there. What?" Daichi asked.

"Oh, don't even get me started. You guys know that Christmas is like - I mean, really, guys. Christmas is not that great. Maybe it was once, but we don't like - Santa doesn't _make_ toys for little kids anymore. That's not what Christmas is anymore. Christmas is... Christmas is just capitalism in disguise."

Everyone was staring at him now. "Suga... you know Santa isn't real, right?" Daichi asked.

"No, I mean - _yes_ , I know that Santa isn’t real. I mean, like, it's not a wholesome celebration anymore. Capitalism! I'm telling you it's just secret capitalism. Not even secret. Blatant capitalism, at this point."

"Capitalism," Daichi repeated skeptically.

"Don't take that tone! You know it's true! Like - Christmas wouldn't be near as big a deal as you people make it out to be if big corporations hadn't gotten hold of it and been like, 'oh, yeah, we can make a profit off of this.' It's just a cash grab. That's why Christmas advertisements start in October. Spend your money please! Hey, please come give us money! If you don't give us money you don't love your family!"

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"Okay, honestly, I'm gonna sound dumb, but I'm not actually _entirely_ sure what capitalism is," Bokuto said with a blank look.

They ignored him. "Okay, fine. Sure. Christmas is capitalism. That can be the point you're trying to make," Daichi said. 

"Thank you for the permission," Suga responded sarcastically.

"So let me ask you: why didn't the farm even break even last year?" Daichi asked.

"Huh?"

"Christmas is all about capitalism, right? That's the only reason anyone cares about it? So why does the Christmas tree farm - which profits off of Christmas the same way that these corporations that you hate do - struggle to make anything at all?"

Suga took a long drink. "I mean, you could start by charging for the cookies."

"I'm not asking for financial advice, Suga. Just pointing out that your point is wrong and invalid and it sucks." Daichi shrugged and took a drink, and then slapped his thighs and stood up. "I gotta go."

"What, you're leaving? We're just getting started!" Noya said. 

"You have work in the morning," Daichi reminded him. He waved to Asahi as he pulled his keys out of his pocket. "See ya," he said. He didn't look at Suga as he left.

"Damn. You kind of pissed him off," Tanaka said.

"What? What did I do?" Suga asked. He rolled his eyes. "Be right back."

Suga stood and hurried out the door.

He saw Daichi climbing into Roberta. "Hey! Hey, Daichi! Stop for a second!"

Daichi stood outside the car, the door still open, as Suga ran up to him. "What is it?"

"You didn't say bye to me," Suga said, and Daichi cocked his head to the side. 

"What?"

"You said bye to everyone except me. Why?"

"I don't owe you anything," Daichi said, echoing Suga's words from two days ago.

"Okay, but it would have been more polite to say bye."

"I mean, you said we aren't friends. Do you want to be friends or not?" Daichi asked.

"I think... I think we should be friends," Suga said. "I wish we could be."

Suga didn't know why he was saying all this. He hadn't even thought about it before this moment. But maybe it was because he had had so much to drink and because the way the streetlight hit Daichi's face made him look really handsome. Actually, it probably wasn't just the streetlight. Daichi was probably just really handsome.

And, as annoying as it was, Suga was starting to feel like everyone hated him for abandoning them. And although they were stupid and he hated them for being angry at him for that, Suga did feel a tiny sense of obligation. Their guilt tripping was working, and he kind of, sort of, maybe a tiny little bit, wanted to make it up to them.

He wasn't going to change his stance on Christmas, though. Fuck Christmas. Fuck capitalism.

"Why do you say it like that?" Daichi asked.

"Like what?"

"'I wish we could be friends.' Nothing is stopping you."

"You're stopping me. You hate me."

"Then stop doing things that make me hate you," Daichi said matter-of-factly.

Suga stared at him. 

"Fine. I will."

"Great," Daichi said.

"Okay."

"Glad we've come to an understanding."

"Yeah. Me too."

"... I'm going to get in my car now. That okay?"

Suga shrugged. "I don't care."

"Cool."

Daichi stood there for a moment longer and then climbed into Roberta. Then he sighed. "Have a good night, Suga," he said, rolling his eyes.

Suga smiled brightly. "Thank you. Goodnight."

"What was that about?" Asahi asked when Suga walked back in.

Suga shrugged. "Just talking."

Asahi raised his eyebrows. "About what?"

"Stuff. Nunya."

"What's nunya?" Bokuto asked, slumped against the counter.

Suga smiled. Asahi hadn't fallen for that one since the eighth grade. "Nunya business."

Bokuto closed his eyes slowly and giggled. "Stupid."

"Are you guys, like... cool?" Asahi asked.

"Yeah, he seems kind of weird about you. What the hell did you do to him?" Kuroo asked.

Bokuto pointed at Kuroo, his eyes half-closed. "Haha. Nunya."

"Exactly," Suga said.

"Go to bed, Bokuto," Kuroo said. "I was just asking."

Suga shrugged. "I don't know if we're cool. I - it doesn't matter. I have to go anyway."

"You're leaving?" Asahi asked.

Suga grabbed his coat. "Yeah, I - my mom's gonna be wondering where I am. I didn't tell her I was going out."

"Why didn't you tell her?" Asahi asked.

"Kind of an asshole move," Kuroo said, leaning an elbow on Asahi's shoulder. Asahi looked down at his elbow, but he was too polite to ask Kuroo to get off him.

"Not an asshole. I - whatever. I'm going. See you guys later."

Everyone gave their various farewells, and Suga stepped outside.

On the walk back home, he thought about Daichi. He was an asshole, obviously. A real asshole. But... he hadn't always been like that. He wasn't like that in middle school, anyway. And as much of an asshole as he was, Suga hated the idea that anyone didn't like him.

It also didn't help that Daichi was, like - smoking hot. When had he gotten so attractive? Had he been this attractive in high school? Suga thought back. He vaguely remembered a short-lived crush at one point - but he was pretty sure that had been a little bit after freshman year. After they had stopped talking.

As he was going to sleep that night - in his old bedroom, barf - he turned to face the wall, glancing up at the photo booth strips hanging there. They had gotten them at the mall - always one copy for Asahi, one for him. There were four strips in all - freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year. Suga was sure Asahi still had them all, too. He studied Asahi’s face in the pictures, and then his own - wondering at how someone could look so similar but _be_ so different. He looked at them for a moment longer before huffily turning away from the wall, pulling the blanket up to his chin.

He couldn’t wait to go home.

(But a tiny part of him decided that he would take the pictures with him after all.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey kings and queens, thanx for reading <3
> 
> I edited this chapter instead of finishing my college apps tonite hehe


	3. 19 days until Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It rang twice before he picked up. "Hello? Suga?" It sounded like he had just woken up. Suga glanced over at the clock. 11 AM - Daichi must have the day off.
> 
> "Yeah, it's me."
> 
> "What do you need?"
> 
> "I... uh, do you want to maybe grab lunch later today?"
> 
> Daichi was quiet for a moment. "Just... you and me...?"

"Kuroken Realty, Tetsurou speaking."

"Wh - Kuroo?"

There was a familiar cackle from the other end. "Sugawara?"

"You're a _realtor_?" Suga asked, incredulous. He began to pace around his room as he talked on the phone.

"Best one in town. Lemme guess, selling the farm?"

"Obviously. What's Kuroken mean?"

"Ah, it's - it's stupid." Kuroo sounded genuinely sheepish, which Suga hadn’t thought was possible.

"Now you have to tell me."

"My - my friend's name is Kenma. Kenma Kozume."

"And he's a realtor too?"

Kuroo snorted. "No. That's why it's stupid."

"So why is the name Kuroken?"

"I thought it sounded better than just Kuroo. Anyway, I can look around for you, but I'm gonna tell ya right off the bat - no one's gonna want that shitty farm."

Suga sighed. "Yeah, I figured you would say something like that. Is there any hope?"

"I mean, really the only redeemable thing about that plot is the land. So unless someone comes along who's rich enough to bulldoze all the buildings down, you're toast."

Suga furrowed his eyebrows. "I mean - I don't want the farm to get _bulldozed_."

"Why not? Then you'd be able to go back to the city."

"Jesus Christ, dude. Just - call me if you find anything."

"Yup."

Suga hung up the phone and then flopped down onto his bed. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before clicking another contact.

The phone rang a few times. "Hey, it's Asahi. I'm not able to get to the phone right now, so just leave me a -"

Suga hung up again and sighed. He scrolled back down through his contacts. He could call Oikawa - but he knew he would just get yelled at for not being home yet, so that was a no-go. He scrolled up to the most recent contact.

Daichi.

He had given Suga his number just in case there was any news about the farm last night, when Suga had gone out drinking with the guys again. They were annoying, but Suga didn't have any other company in this town.

He clicked the contact.

It rang twice before he picked up. "Hello? Suga?" It sounded like he had just woken up. Suga glanced over at the clock. 11 AM - Daichi must have the day off.

"Yeah, it's me."

"What do you need?"

"I... uh, do you want to maybe grab lunch later today?"

Daichi was quiet for a moment. "Just... you and me...?"

"Yeah, I mean - nothing weird. I just wanted to kind of... catch up. Like, I don't really know what's going on around here."

"Uh... yeah, that sounds fine."

"I mean, if it makes you feel any better, I wanted to talk to Asahi, not you. But I guess he's busy."

"Why would it make me feel better to know I'm your second choice?"

"Dunno. You're weird. You wanna go to the Eagle?"

White Eagle Lodge - although everyone just called it the Eagle - was a locally-owned cafe restaurant in town. It had been where everyone used to hang out, back in high school.

"Man, I haven't been to the Eagle in forever. Yeah, meet you there at 2?"

"Sounds good."

❄❄❄

Suga anxiously tapped his feet under the table and looked down at his phone again. 2:05. He hated being late - he had gotten to the Eagle at 1:45.

"Got stood up, huh?" said a voice from above him. Leaning over the half-wall that bordered the table Suga had chosen was a tall, gangly man, wearing a smug grin. His hair was fire-truck red, and Suga was just about to tell him to go away when he noticed the man's black apron and name tag. A waiter.

Suga sighed. "I don't know. He was supposed to be here 5 minutes ago."

The man waved a hand. "Nah, you're fine. He'll be here. Sugawara, right?"

Suga was alarmed, to say the least. "How do you know that? Are you going to kill me?"

The guy's grin got wider. Creepy. "Yes."

"What?"

He came around the wall and sat down across from Suga. "They talk about you like you're the devil, you know."

"What the hell are you talking about? How do you know my name?"

The guy shrugged. Suga glanced down at his name tag. It read 'Tendou.'

"I got this friend. His mind is like a steel trap."

"Huh?" What the fuck was this guy on? He just kept jumping from one vaguely cryptic sentence to the next.

"He's friends with your friends. On the farm? His mind is like a steel trap," he repeated. "They tell him about you. About how much they hate you."

"They - hate me?"

The guy - Tendou - snickered. "Well, I don't know the specifics. I made the hating you part up. But my friend - Ushiwaka? You know him?"

Suga shook his head, and Tendou shrugged.

"Whatever. He says they all complain about you."

"Why would you tell me that?" Suga asked.

"I don't know. Your date's here."

Tendou sprung up from the seat he had taken and scampered off to the kitchen. Suga looked over at the door to see Daichi, and waved him over.

"Why were you talking to Tendou?" Daichi asked.

"It was against my will."

"He's a nut," Daichi agreed. "Anyway. Hi."

"Hi."

They sat in silence for a moment. 

"How was your... day today?" Suga asked, because he knew that Daichi would make him just sit in silence for forever and a day because that's how he was.

Daichi shrugged. "Alright. Day off today."

"Oh, nice. Yeah, I figured when I called you at 11 and it sounded like you were still asleep."

"What, you never sleep in?"

Suga thought back to the day before yesterday, when he had slept until about 1. "Nope. Anyway, I wanted to just kind of - I don't know. Kind of figure out what all's been, uh, happening."

Daichi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Suga sighed. "I... uh... I wish I had kept in touch with everyone. It was..." he trailed off.

"It was what?"

"It was stupid that I didn't," Suga forced out. He was good at many things. Apologizing wasn't one of them. "Especially with... y'know, with my friends. Asahi, and everyone. I could've... called. I... uh -"

Daichi held up his hands. "Jesus, dude, give it a rest. Your face is going red," he said, chuckling. "I get it."

"I'm - I'm trying to apologize!"

"You don't need to apologize to me," Daichi said, cocking his head to one side. 

"Yeah, I know. That's why I wanted to have lunch with Asahi. But I'm here with you."

"Lucky you, then. You can practice apologizing all you want. I can even give you feedback. And then you can go and rock the real deal and he'll forgive you even harder."

"Is it possible to forgive someone harder? Isn't it just, like, you forgive them or you don't?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Plus, Asahi would forgive you if you killed his puppy in front of him, in time. He's probably going to be so happy you're saying sorry he’ll buy you a gift or something."

Suga laughed. "He's an idiot, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is. Want to try it?"

Suga nodded and took a deep breath, drawing himself up in his chair and thinking of what he wanted to say. "Okay. Here it is."

"Just pretend I'm Asahi."

"Yeah. Okay. Asahi." Suga giggled a little bit, but tried to maintain his composure. "I'm - I'm really sorry that I never called. Or texted. Or DM'd on Facebook or Instagram or something. Or maybe I could have sent a letter or a postcard, I know you love stuff like that. Or maybe I could have come back and visited for a few days? Although I don't really get that many days off. Or I could have... maybe..." Suga lost his train of thought. "I don't really know what I was going to say. Was that anything?"

Daichi leaned back in his chair and brought a hand up to his chin. "Mm. Maybe try not to list all the reasons he should hate you. Maybe just, like, breeze past that."

"Hellllllloo, gentlemen," exclaimed a familiar voice. Suga turned to see Tendou. How long had he even been standing there? "Drinks? Drinks?"

"Water, please," Daichi said.

"For me too."

Tendou nodded dutifully. "Two waters. I'll tell the guys in the back." 

He did not go to the back, but instead to the drink machine on the other side of the small restaurant.

Suga opened his mouth to speak again, but in a flash, Tendou the waiter returned. "Water. Water," he said as he put the cups down. "Mm. Hold on." He squinted at the waters and then quickly switched them so that the one in front of Daichi was now in front of Suga and vice versa. "There. Perfect. What can I get started for you?"

Suga ordered the french onion soup, and Daichi got chicken tenders. Suga raised an eyebrow at his order.

"Your tastes haven't changed since middle school," he said. Daichi cracked a smile.

"Shut up. You were apologizing. Without all the listing."

Suga nodded. "Right. Right. Okay. Asahi." He thought for a moment. "I'm sorry I didn't _keep in contact_ ," he said pointedly, and Daichi gave a thumbs up. "That was really... selfish... of me. I never meant to hurt you, I just wasn't thinking about how my actions would affect people who cared about me." Suga let a deep breath out, relieved.

Daichi nodded. "Okay, better. This time, try and say it like you mean it."

"Wh - I did mean that!" Suga cried indignantly.

"I mean, you said the right words. It's just that it sounded like someone was forcing you to say them. You're so stiff with it. Here, say this: 'I'm sorry.'"

Suga rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"'I was wrong.'"

"I was wrong."

"'I will be better in the future.'"

"I will be better in the future."

Daichi grinned. "'I'm a stupid asshole.'"

Suga blew the wrapper from his straw at Daichi's head, but it sailed past him.

"Yeah, I know you are. What did Asahi even end up doing? Did he really go into - what was it? - fashion?" Suga asked. "I remembered him talking about it. And he was always making those dresses, remember?"

Daichi nodded. "Yeah, he - he went for that for a while." Daichi looked down at the table. "He won't really tell anyone what happened. He went to that school for a year - he was a few hours away. Not as far as you, but a good distance. And then he just... came back home. He seemed, uh, he seemed a little down for a while. Lived with his parents. But now he's got his own place and a job and everything," Daichi said. "He works at this bakery during the day. You should go sometime - he's amazing."

"And he won't tell you what happened?" Suga asked.

Daichi sighed. "I mean - I don't know. Maybe he would tell me. But honestly, why ask? He gets stuck on stuff pretty easily. If something really bad happened, he might be messed up about it for the next week." He shrugged. "It's none of my business."

"None of your business? He's your friend!" Suga exclaimed. "I think you should ask."

"Why? So I can tell you?"

"No. That would just be a plus."

Daichi rolled his eyes. "Anyone else you want to know about?"

"I mean, you gave me basically nothing on Asahi. You're a shit informant. But I guess tell me about the other guys. Tanaka and Noya."

"Yeah, they're not nearly as interesting," Daichi said. "I mean, Noya just kind of traveled around for a little bit - like, backpacking across Europe and stuff. Asahi actually went with him a few times."

"See, this is what I want. The juicy stuff. Did anything _happen_?" Suga raised his eyebrows. "Like... with them?"

Daichi shook his head with a smile. "Neither of them will say anything."

"Does Noya like him back?" Suga asked, incredulous. Daichi gave him a knowing smile.

"None of my business. And none of yours, either. But after Noya was done with all that - I guess more like after he ran out of money - he came back here. I'm pretty sure he still lives with his parents, to be honest."

"What does he do?"

Daichi shrugged. "I think he does whatever he can. Right now, he's got the farm. Once the season is over, he's probably going to hop onto the next thing and then the one after that."

Suga nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense for him. What about Tanaka?"

Daichi snorted. "I dunno. He's trying to be, like, an influencer."

"Like, on Instagram?"

"I mean, I guess?" Daichi replied with a shrug. "I don't know how any of that works. But he lives next door to Asahi."

Suga thought for a moment, searching his brain for anyone else he could ask about. "Oh - that waiter. How do you know him?"

"What about that waiter?" asked Tendou, appearing with the food. Suga actually jumped.

"Uh, nothing."

"Mm, don't be shy. Complimenting my great service?" He plopped the chicken tenders basket down in front of Daichi, and the soup in front of Suga.

"Actually, Suga was just asking how we know each other," Daichi said. Tendou threw his hands up in excitement.

"Oh, it's a great story! I was -"

"Yeah, don't think he needs all that. We played them - Shiratorizawa - in high school. That was after you quit, though. Anyway, Ushiwaka lends us his animals for the petting zoo. And this guy and Ushiwaka are sort of a package deal."

Tendou puffed out his chest. "You just can't get rid of me. Anything else I can get for you?"

"Nope, thanks." 

Tendou breezed away. Suga got close to asking Daichi why he had been apparently talking shit to this 'Ushiwaka,' but thought better of it. Daichi had said that if he wanted to be friends, Suga had to stop being an asshole. Which sucked, because Suga was _really good_ at being an asshole to Daichi.

Daichi took a bite of chicken and nodded appreciatively. "You make fun of my chicken tenders, but they never fail."

Suga rolled his eyes and blew on his soup. "Who else is there? Who else is working on the farm?"

Daichi leaned back in his seat, thinking. "Uh, well - there's Kageyama and Hinata. Oh - and that little Tadashi kid."

"Who are they?"

Daichi shrugged. "We hired them this year. They cut down trees." He shook his head, apparently exasperated just at the thought of them. "They're a handful."

"What, they're bad at their jobs?"

Daichi chuckled. "No, they're really good at the tree cutting. They just - well, I'll just tell you this. Yesterday they were trying to see who could cut the most, right? Even though it's a two-person job that they were supposed to be doing together. But whatever. So they're running up to customers and getting all up in their faces trying to be the 'best tree cutter' - whatever that means." He shook his head. "I like Tadashi, though. He's quieter than them."

"What about Kiyoko?"

"She and Tanaka got together," Daichi said. "The first time was the longest, I remember. Like five months? But since then they've been on and off. Like, a lot." He shrugged. "Other than that, I'm pretty sure she works in retail? I think she manages somewhere." He seemed to remember something. "Oh, and the little blonde girl you saw working with her was Yachi. She's new, too - I don't think she says much. Every time I've talked to her she's looked like she was about to start crying. She likes Asahi, though. She did all the advertisements and everything for the farm this year - she just got out of school for graphic design."

Daichi crunched on a tender and looked at Suga expectantly.

"What?" Suga asked. "Do I have something on my face?"

"Nope."

"Then what is it? Why do you always stare at me like this?"

"I think you're interesting," Daichi said.

"In a good way?"

"Nah, I don't think so."

Suga looked back down at his soup, trying to ignore him. He took a few bites, but he could still feel Daichi's eyes on him.

"Okay, what is it? I give up."

"Oh, I don't know. You've just asked about all these people."

"Oh. Uh... thanks... for telling me?" Suga tried.

Daichi shook his head. "Wrong. You've asked about all these people, but you're not even slightly curious as to how your best bud has been doing?" he asked, gesturing to himself. Suga rolled his eyes.

"You're right. I'm _not_ even slightly curious."

"Oh, of course I'll tell you! It all started the summer that -"

"Skip the exposition," Suga said. 

"You sure? It's important by the time act three rolls around."

"Yeah, but I'm almost done with this soup, so you better make it quick. You've got like three or four bites."

"Fine. I'll go fast. We graduated, you left, I went to community college for business management, I came back. That's the short version."

Suga swallowed a bite of his soup. "Community college? Come on. You're better than community college."

"What do you have against community college?"

"Nothing. It's just - I don't know. You were always so smart."

"I know. That's why I commuted to community college. I was smart enough to save my money." He shrugged. "I guess I don't need to prove that I'm better than everybody else by going to some big expensive school halfway across the country. Only stupid people do things like that."

"Mmmm," Suga nodded, determined not to give him the reaction he wanted.

"And they would be even stupider if they never called anyone from back home."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. That's probably the kind of person that quits playing volleyball after a year because they got benched."

"Okay, low blow. Are you still mad about that?" Suga gasped in realization. "Is that why you're such an asshole to me? Because I quit volleyball in _freshman year_?"

Daichi cocked his head to one side and smiled crookedly. "Wait, you didn't get that?"

Suga put his head in his hands, exasperated. "How can you still be mad about that? It was literally - shit." He counted in his head for a moment. "Eight years ago? Jesus, man. Like, I know we're joking around, but for real."

Daichi dropped his smile and furrowed his eyebrows. "I mean, I don't think it's that silly. We were supposed to do it together. And then after you quit, it was like... I don't know. It felt like you were embarrassed to talk to me."

Suga laughed. "Are you kidding? I was _mortified_ to talk to you after that. I could barely talk to Asahi, let alone you."

"Why?" Daichi asked. The joking tone had gone from their conversation.

"What do you mean, 'why?' I had promised we would do it together. We had practiced together, tried out together - I mean, that was our thing. Volleyball. And then... when I got... benched..." he trailed off for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. His bowl of soup sat empty in front of him. "It was so embarrassing. It was just - I felt like I couldn't face you if I wasn't playing like you guys. But - but then I quit, and that was just _another_ reason I couldn't face you."

Daichi gave him a strange look. "You thought I only liked you because we played volleyball together?"

"I mean..." Suga didn't want to sound like he was fishing for a compliment, but he shrugged. "We don't have much in common other than that."

"Suga, I'm going to tell you something right now that I have never told anyone. Not even Asahi."

Suga's eyes widened. "What is it?"

"I was in love with you for like three years."

Suga choked on air. "What?"

Daichi laughed. "I really - I won't even get into it. Obviously I'm not now, because - y'know. I hate your guts and everything."

Suga rolled his eyes playfully, trying to recover. He would process that new information later. "Yeah. Sure. That's why you went out to lunch with me. Because you hate me."

"Didn't have anything better to do," Daichi said with a sigh. "But yeah. So - volleyball was not the only reason I liked you. Plus, we were both freshmen. Freshmen get benched all the time. Why did it upset you so much?"

"Uhh, I don’t know. Maybe because you and Asahi, _literally the only other freshman_ and _literally my only friends on the team_ , were in the starting lineup. Duh." He shook his head. "I felt like a jackass. Just sitting there watching you guys. It felt like I didn't like volleyball enough to be that embarrassed all the time."

Daichi nodded. "I mean... yeah, okay, I get that. But I've got a question."

"What?"

"Who taught you that it was okay to just... stop talking to people? Like, entirely? For no reason?" Daichi asked.

"Um, rude."

"No, like - I'm just trying to figure it out. I know you didn't get it from your mom."

"Yeah, maybe I do that _because_ of my mom. Have you met my mom?"

Daichi nodded again. "Actually, yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. Doesn't make it okay."

Suga sighed. "Would it be okay if I did some practice apologies again?"

Daichi gave him a confused smile. "Uh, sure?"

"Okay. I'm sorry that you had a big fat nasty crush on me in middle school and then I ghosted you when we stopped playing volleyball together because I was embarrassed. I'm sure that your little freshman heart was broken all into a million pieces on the floor. I'm also sorry that I left and never said anything. And sorry that I dissed community college earlier. I am sorry for all of those things… Daichi." Suga gasped in exaggerated surprise. "Oh, no! I didn't mean to say the name! It was just supposed to be a practice!"

Daichi crossed his arms on the table. "Okay, well, I'm glad that was a practice, if it was supposed to be for me. Because it sucked."

"Check? Check?" asked Tendou, who had once again materialized next to the table. Suga looked down at the single check in his hand.

"Oh! Uh, actually, it was supposed to be on separate -"

"I got it," Daichi cut him off and plucked the check out of Tendou's hand.

"Tips are appreciated!" Tendou sang as he bounced away.

"We can split it," Suga suggested. Daichi just shrugged. 

"I got it," he repeated. "You're paying next time."

Suga didn't address the fact that that implied they would do this again.

As they were going to their separate cars, Suga turned to Daichi. "I... I really am sorry."

Daichi just looked at him with that stupid face. Suga hated it. Daichi's face sucked. Stupid. Asshole. "Yeah. I know. Hey, why don't you come to the farm next week?"

Suga was confused. "Why?"

Daichi shrugged. "I mean, you own the place. Don't you want to see how everything runs?"

Suga looked at him for a moment, but then smiled. "Just want to point out that _you_ are inviting me to hang out."

"We wouldn't be hanging out. I mean, I'd just be showing you around."

"Nope. No backsies. You just invited me to hang out. Which means that you don't fully hate me."

Daichi rolled his eyes as he climbed into his truck. "Sure. Only, like, 99% of me hates you now."

Suga nodded. "Okay. 99%. I can work with that."

Daichi cracked a smile despite himself. "You're stupid. See you."

Suga got into his car and grinned to himself, warm and flushed despite the cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey babiesss hope u like <3 no reason for tendou to be here i'm just Love Him......
> 
> see u friday ;)


	4. 14 days until Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was a suspicious silence on the other end. "Something's happened, hasn't it?" Oikawa asked.
> 
> "Wh - what? No!"
> 
> "You're bad at lying and I'm really smart. Something happened. Something with your... mom?" he guessed.
> 
> "No. Nothing has happened. I promise."
> 
> "Mm, not your mom then... You're actually in the Christmas spirit? You don't want to sell the farm anymore?" Oikawa kept guessing.
> 
> "No. I'm telling you, it -"
> 
> "Oh! A boy?" 
> 
> Suga felt his face flush red. "Wh - no! Why would I even - I mean, the guys here are totally - yeah, no. Gross."
> 
> Oikawa cackled. "So it _is_ a boy!"

The phone rang for a moment before Oikawa picked up.

"Okay, where the fuck are you? Are you abandoning me for the hick town?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Suga said regretfully. "It's this stupid farm. Nobody wants it." Kuroo hadn't called with any news about buyers.

"Who cares? Cut your losses! You're going to get fired if you're away much longer!"

"You're covering for me, right?" Suga asked. Oikawa laughed on the other end.

"Oh, yeah. I'm hamming it up over here. Hey, when you get back, if people ask you about your grandpa, just go along with whatever they say. I can't even keep track of all the stuff I've told them. He's, like, the most important person in your life. Was. Before he died. Which is why you've had to take two weeks straight off work. To mourn."

Suga laughed. "Jesus Christ. What lies have you been telling about me?"

"Never mind that! Why are you still there? Why can't you just sell the stupid farm from here?"

Suga sighed and sat down on the couch. His mom had gone for a walk, leaving the living room empty for him. "I don't know. I just - I mean, I've been here this long. I just want to see it through. Plus, if I want to get it sold as quick as possible, it makes more sense for me to be here to... sell it... right?" Suga didn't even convince himself with that one. He knew that he should just go home and forget about this, but there was something keeping him here.

He didn't want to acknowledge what that something was.

There was a suspicious silence on the other end. "Something's happened, hasn't it?" Oikawa asked.

"Wh - what? No!"

"You're bad at lying and I'm really smart. Something happened. Something with your... mom?" he guessed.

"No. Nothing has happened. I promise."

"Mm, not your mom then... You're actually in the Christmas spirit? You don't want to sell the farm anymore?" Oikawa kept guessing.

"No. I'm telling you, it -"

"Oh! A boy?" 

Suga felt his face flush red. "Wh - no! Why would I even - I mean, the guys here are totally - yeah, no. Gross."

Oikawa cackled. "So it _is_ a boy! Who is it - Ashley? What was his name. It wasn't - Ashley?"

Suga rolled his eyes. "Asahi."

"So it's him, then?" Oikawa hummed thoughtfully. "Yeah, his name does sound sexy. But -"

"You didn't even know his name until two seconds ago," Suga sighed. "And it's not Asahi. Just - promise me you won't laugh or anything, okay?"

"I physically cannot promise that."

"Okay, then I guess you don't get to know."

"Wait, I -"

"Bye."

"No! I promise. Tell me about him."

Suga heaved an even deeper sigh. "His name is Sawamura Daichi. I don't think I've ever mentioned him. We - we were friends in middle school, and then we played volleyball together freshman year, but then I quit and we didn't talk anymore." Suga left out the part where he ghosted Daichi for eight years.

"Is _he_ sexy?" Oikawa asked.

"Can I be honest?"

"Of course."

"Tooru, he's sexy as hell. He's like - oh, I forgot to even mention, he _runs the tree farm._ Like, my grandpa was too sick to do it or whatever, so he manages it." Suga thought for a second. "Oh! And a few days ago he told me that he _liked me in middle school._ For three years. No, not even liked - he said he was _in love with me_ for three years."

"Oh my God! _History!_ "

"Exactly! And he invited me to come to the farm today to, like, 'see how everything runs,' but I'm pretty sure he just wants to hang out again. Like, 80% sure." Suga thought for a moment. "Well, maybe more like 70. I don't know. He's, like, super weird too. But hot. Yeah, really hot and everything."

"So that's why you're not back yet? Sexy farmer?"

Suga gave an indignant little cry. "Well, when you say it like _that_ -"

"No, no, I totally get it. Like, overalls with no shirt underneath. Yeah, I get it."

"I don't think he's ever worn overalls in his life."

"Not my thing, yeah, but I totally get it," Oikawa continued, paying no attention to Suga's denial. "Look. Can I give you some advice?"

"I'm pretty sure you're going to even if I say no."

"Get that dick. Go for it. I'm all for that." Oikawa paused thoughtfully. "Make sure he washes everything down first, though. Farming is like - dirty."

"Noted."

"But don't let it get in the way of your _career_ , Suga. Man meat is good. Unemployment is bad. I mean, we basically _just_ started here. You can't go around taking entire months off work." 

Suga sighed. "Yeah, I know."

"So here's what I suggest. Go to the farm today and get that dick on top of a tractor or whatever. Have some crazy farm sex." He paused. "But I'm serious about him, like, washing down his dick. Who knows where it's been. But after you're done - like, immediately after - right after you pee to prevent STDs - get in your car and _come. Home._ "

"I'm not going to have crazy farm sex."

"You never know. One time I -"

"Yeah, I don't need to hear about that while I have all these family pictures looking at me. I gotta go."

"Your loss. _Right_ after you pee to prevent STDs, Sugawara. Get right in the car. Don't look back."

Suga sighed. "We'll see. Bye."

❄❄❄

Suga peeked his head into the gift shop, and Asahi looked up with a smile.

"Hey, man! What can I do for you?" Asahi asked.

"Do you know where Daichi is?" Suga asked.

"Right behind you," said Daichi's voice, and Suga swiveled to see him. Suga turned back to Asahi.

"Thanks for your help," he said, and Asahi laughed.

"Anytime!" he called as Suga closed the door.

Suga turned fully around to Daichi, and realized with horror that he _was_ wearing overalls. Dark green overalls. He snorted, unable to stop himself.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, just - thought of something funny."

Daichi raised an eyebrow. "Care to share with the class?"

"Nope. What do you want to show me first?"

Daichi looked at him for a second, but then let it go. "Mm, well, I figured we could go down to the fields first. Mostly just because I want you to meet Kageyama and Hinata."

"The tree cutters?" Suga asked.

Daichi nodded gravely. "Yeah, them. Follow me."

They walked down the gravel pathway leading into the trees. Suga rubbed his shaking hands together and blew into them, his breath visible.

"You cold?" Daichi asked. Suga shrugged.

"I mean, a little chilly."

Daichi looked him over. "Yeah, maybe you should invest in, like. A hat or something."

Suga gave him a dirty look. "Well, I didn't realize how cold it would be."

Daichi rolled his eyes and slid off his gloves, handing them to Suga. "Put these on and then keep your hands in your pockets."

Suga opened his mouth to protest, but then realized how cold his hands actually were. He sighed and took the gloves, doing as Daichi said. They were still warm from Daichi's hands.

From up the path, Suga began to hear loud voices.

"Is that them?" Suga asked. Daichi nodded. 

"It is. Brace yourself."

They branched off the road into the slightly muddy grass. After walking for a few moments, they came upon the tree cutters.

A tiny, orange-haired kid and a taller black-haired one were squabbling over the saw. Scanning the scene, Suga saw another face he recognized - Tendou, standing next to a larger man.

"I _got it,_ Hinata," said the dark-haired one.

"We're _both_ supposed to do it, you -"

"Sugawara!" Cried Tendou, altogether too familiar. "How have you been! You haven't come into the Eagle!"

Suga sighed inwardly, but he waved. "Uh... yeah." He didn't really have much else to say.

Tendou bounded over, and the large man came with him. "This is Ushiwaka. The one I was telling you about."

The man stuck his hand out to Suga. "Ushijima Wakatoshi. This is your establishment?"

Suga nodded, unsure. "I mean - technically I own it, yeah. But Daichi -"

But Ushijima was nodding solemnly. "You've done well with it. It is delightful."

"Uh. Thank you?"

Ushiwaka was a very cute nickname for someone so scary, Suga decided. Tendou tapped Ushiwaka on the forehead sweetly. 

"Steel trap. Steel trap brain. Anyway, your tree cutters suck. You should get new ones."

Daichi had left Suga's side and was now quietly scolding the two boys. Suga shrugged.  
"I didn't hire them."

He eyed the Ushiwaka guy to see if he was going to say anything else, but it seemed that after his introduction he had taken, instead, to staring off into space.

"Uh, Ushijima?" Suga asked sheepishly. Ushiwaka turned that intense gaze on him again.

"Yes?"

"So, uh, what do you do on the farm, again?"

"Well, at the moment, Tendou and I have come to purchase a Christmas tree for my living room. But on other days I come to temporarily loan out my animals."

"For petting zoo purposes," Tendou said, linking an arm through Ushiwaka's. The large man looked indifferent to his thinner, stranger companion.

Daichi had finished instructing Kageyama and Hinata on how to properly use the saw, and turned back to them. "Alright. Suga, this is Hinata." He gestured to the orange-haired one. "And Kageyama." He gestured to the black-haired one.

"Hey, guys. I'm Sugawara."

"Do you really own this place?" Hinata asked. He couldn't have been older than 20, and Suga would bet he was younger.

Kageyama whipped his head around to Hinata. "What a stupid question. Obviously."

"It's not a stupid question! It's just, like, a conversation starter, you asshole. Don't you know how -"

Daichi knocked them both on the back of the head, which Suga was pretty sure violated managerial regulations. "Shut up. There's customers."

"I mean, it's just Tendou," Hinata said.

"And Ushiwaka," Kageyama hissed, and Hinata straightened as if he had forgotten Ushijima was there.

"Right."

"Tendou, do you do anything for the farm?" Suga asked. Tendou puffed out his chest, an arm still linked through Ushijima's.

"I make chili," he said simply. Suga turned to Daichi for interpretation.

"We provide all the employees with free lunch. Tendou makes chili. It's a good time."

"Like, through the Eagle? Catering?" Suga asked. Daichi, Tendou, and the two tree cutters gave him a strange look. Even Ushiwaka's eyebrows furrowed a little bit.

"No, through me. Because I like to make chili," Tendou said. There was a silence for a moment. "Anyway, what's a boy gotta do to get a Christmas tree around here?" Tendou asked. He pointed to Ushiwaka happily. "This boy."

Daichi smiled. "Actually, it's great that you're getting a tree, Ushijima. Do you mind if I lead Suga through the steps of buying a tree and everything?" Daichi turned to him. "If you don't already know."

"Yeah, I came here as a kid, but I didn't really pay attention to the buying stuff. This'll be a good refresher," he said. Actually, he was pretty sure he knew how it worked. He kind of just wanted Daichi to give him the tour.

Ushijima nodded. "And then we can go look at the animals,” he stated firmly.

Daichi nodded. "Sound good? Okay. Kageyama, Hinata, get to cutting."

The two boys scrambled back down onto their knees in the grass. They each grabbed one side of the large saw and began to move it back and forth. Ushiwaka had chosen one of the larger trees, but it didn't take long to cut it down, especially since Kageyama and Hinata seemed to be cutting back and forth as fast as possible. The tree began to fall, and they both raced to catch it - but before they could break its fall, Ushijima stepped behind it and caught it without issue.

"Great," said Daichi. So now what happens is you take this tag -" he plucked a tag off the bottom of the tree - "And hold onto that. Then if you could just show us to your car?"

Ushijima and Tendou walked in front of Daichi and Suga. Kageyama and Hinata lifted the tree and trundled along a short distance behind them. Suga leaned closer to Daichi to make sure he wouldn't be heard.

"Are those two, like, a thing?" Suga asked.

"Kageyama and Hinata? Y'know, I don't think so, but Asahi thinks -"

Suga laughed quietly. "No, not them! _Them,_ " he said, subtly pointing in front of them at Ushijima and Tendou, who were walking so close that their shoulders occasionally brushed. Suga couldn't help but notice that his and Daichi's shoulders touched every now and then, too. He tried not to think about it, but Oikawa’s voice kept talking about crazy farm sex in his head. _Christ, is this what I’ve come to?_ Oikawa _is the voice in my head?_

"Oh, them. Beats me. It's like, the eternal mystery."

"Really?"

"Well, here's the thing: obviously Tendou is a little weird, right? So he's, like, super touchy and everything, but I don't think I've ever seen Ushiwaka reciprocate it. So we all think that that might just be how Tendou is?"

Suga snorted. “‘We’? Who else have you talked about this with?”

“Oh, Asahi and Kiyoko love talking about this stuff. They’re such gossips, honestly.”

Suga squinted at him. “But you talk about it too. Doesn’t that make you a gossip?”

Daichi smiled mischievously and held a finger to his lips. “Shh.”

They reached Ushiwaka's car - and honestly, Suga couldn't say he was surprised. It was a dark blue pickup truck that was even bigger than Roberta, and newer, too. Daichi inclined his head toward Ushiwaka.

"Okay. Now, you take the tree tag over to the gift shop or the food barn and someone will ring you up for it. While you do that, we'll get the guys over here to load it in."

Ushijima nodded dutifully and set off toward the gift shop, Tendou bouncing along behind him rattling on about nothing.

"Now, if this weren't a truck, we'd ask him to open the doors and everything so we can tie this thing on the roof. But this makes it easier. Tanaka! Noya!" Daichi called across the clearing. Tanaka and Noya, who had been sitting idly on a cut log, hopped up and jogged over.

Daichi turned to Kageyama and Hinata and lifted the tree out of their hands. Suga had told Oikawa that he wasn't into the whole farmer thing, but it was kind of attractive the way he just lifted the whole tree like that. Maybe they would have sex on a tractor. Maybe they _should_. 

Wait, but the Christmas tree farm didn't have any tractors. Damn. They'd have to just do it in a barn.

What was he even thinking? Jesus Christ. They weren't going to have sex at all. And if they did, it wouldn't be outside. It was too cold to do it outside. Or at all! _Or at all,_ Suga reminded himself.

Daichi deposited the tree in Tanaka and Noya's waiting grasp. "Alright. Kageyama, Hinata, you're good to go back down there. It looks like you have some guests waiting.

Kageyama and Hinata shared an intense, knowing look before wordlessly turning and bolting back down the hill into the trees, clearly racing. Hinata had smaller legs, but he was a little faster, even with the way Kageyama kept clawing onto his shirt collar and yanking him back.

"So Tanaka and Noya are going to take the tree over to this machine," Daichi explained. They reached a large white contraption. 

"What the hell is this?" Suga asked, knocking on the rusted white metal.

"The tree shaker," Daichi said.

"It bags 'em up, too," Noya said. 

"Just show him," Daichi said.

Tanaka and Noya lifted the tree to lay on its side and then pushed it into the machine, which first violently shook the tree around and then slid it into a netted bag.

"What's the point of shaking it?" Suga asked.

"It gets out all the extra needles," Daichi explained, and Suga nodded.

"So they don't get all over your carpet and everything," Tanaka said. "Into the big ass truck, right?"

Daichi nodded. "Yep, right where we were."

Ushijima and Tendou emerged from the small shed and returned to the truck as Tanaka and Noya hauled the tree into the back. Ushijima nodded appreciatively at them. They both looked like at any moment they might salute him. It was honestly kind of hilarious how terrified everyone was of Ushijima - everyone except for Tendou. Ushijima turned his intense gaze on Suga, and he remembered once again why they were afraid of him. He was kind of scary.

"Would you like to go see the animals now?"

Suga looked at Daichi, who nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

"Give daddy those keys," Tendou said, making grabby hands at Ushijima.

"Daddy," Ushijima repeated, not changing his tone. Suga stifled a laugh.

Tendou gestured toward himself. "Me. Chili's at my house. I was going to bring it later, but I want my sweet little Prince Sugawara to taste it."

Ushijima shrugged and dug the keys out of his pocket, tossing them to Tendou. "Please be careful. Don't hurt my Christmas tree."

"I wouldn't dream of it. Back in a second!" Tendou said as he climbed into the car. As he pulled away - probably quicker than was necessary - Daichi looked at Ushijima.

"I didn’t know he finally got his driver’s license," Daichi said.

Ushijima's eyes widened and he was silent for a few moments. "He didn’t. I’ve - I’ve made a horrible mistake.” With wide eyes, he watched Tendou speed away, very narrowly avoiding grazing the mailbox on the way down the drive. He shook his head. “I don't want to think about that. Follow me." He turned and began walking quickly toward the back of the farm.

They passed the gift shop and walked a little bit more before reaching another small barn, tucked away in the back of the farm. Despite its hiding place, multiple signs proclaimed that it was the petting zoo, and a few groups of families with small children were milling around. Suga heard laughing and small voices from inside the barn.

As they got closer, Suga wrinkled his nose. It smelled like shit.

It was even worse inside of the barn. Probably because there was literal shit on the ground.

Suga sidestepped a little boy running out of the barn toward his parents, and then glanced into the stables. It was a small zoo - there was a donkey, a few pigs, two goats, a sheep with its smaller lamb, and - strangely enough - a black cat in the corner, although Suga couldn't tell if it was part of the zoo or not. The crown jewels, though, were the alpacas; Suga saw the two of them in their own large pen as he turned around.

Despite the small size of the zoo, the animals seemed to be incredibly well-trained; they gently took hay from the children's hands, and none of the animals seemed to be anything less than peaceful.

"So, uh... Ushiwaka. Do you -"

"You do not have to use the nickname if it makes you uncomfortable," Ushijima told him. Suga nodded.

"Yeah, it didn't feel right coming out of my mouth. Ushijima. These are your animals?"

Ushijima nodded. "They are mine, although I am not a farmer. I keep them because I like them." He patted the sheep on its snout. "This is Sheep Two. Her baby is Sheep Three."

"Their names are Sheep Two and Sheep Three?" Suga asked. "Isn't that a little dehumanizing?"

Ushijima gave him a strange look. "They are not human."

"No, but like - do they have names that aren't Sheep Two and Sheep Three? And where is Sheep One?"

Ushijima bowed his head as he continued to pet Sheep Two. "He passed away last spring." He sounded genuinely mournful.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Yes, it is sad. But returning to your earlier question - Tendou likes to call them Dumb and Dumber because they keep falling down hills. But I think those are rude nicknames." Ushijima cocked his head to the side. "What do you suggest I call them?"

Suga looked at Daichi, who shrugged.

"Bert and Ernie?" he suggested. Ushijima shook his head.

"They are both female, and they are not married. That name does not apply."

"Bonnie and... Clyde...?" Suga asked unsurely. Ushijima opened his mouth to deny again, but Suga cut him off. "No, yeah, that one was stupid. For the same reasons."

"What if we do some rhymes? You could call them Katie and Sadie," Daichi suggested. "Or... Sam and Pam. May and Kay."

"What about Peanut Butter and Jelly?" Suga suggested, and Ushijima grew thoughtful.

"Peanut Butter and Jelly," he said contemplatively. Then he turned to the sheep previously known as Sheep One. "Peanut Butter?"

The sheep did not respond. It just stared up at him with glassy, soulless sheep eyes.

Ushijima nodded. "Peanut Butter," he confirmed, and then pointed at the lamb with a small smile. "And you are Jelly."

They went around the barn in this way, naming all of the animals that Ushijima had previously just numbered. Suga was mentally recording the amount of times he had seen Ushijima smile; after this name game the number had increased to an astonishing two.

"Hey, Daichi?" called Asahi's voice from a little ways away. They all turned to see Asahi jogging up to the barn, long ponytail bouncing along with him. "Tendou's here. He has chili. Food barn?"

Daichi thought for a moment. "Yeah, it's pretty cold today, so we should probably eat in there. Tell him to just put it on the hot chocolate table." 

Asahi nodded and went to relay the message. Ushijima cleared his throat.

"Forgive me, but I'm going to have to see what he's done to my car. Thank you for all of your name ideas." With that, Ushijima bowed his head and then practically ran out of the barn.

The families had left, leaving Daichi and Suga alone in the petting zoo barn.

"You ready for some of daddy's chili, Prince Sugawara?" Daichi asked, repeating Tendou's words from earlier. Suga scrunched up his nose as they began to walk out.

"Does he call himself that? Is that, like, a thing he does? Why?"

Daichi laughed, and they entered back into open air. "I have literally never heard him refer to himself that way. But that's the thing about Tendou. He doesn't say anything twice."

❄❄❄

Tendou's chili was unexpectedly delicious, Suga realized as he took a steaming bite. Daichi raised an eyebrow at him.

"Good?" he asked.

Suga nodded, struggling to swallow the bite because of how hot it was. He looked around the food barn, draped in white Christmas lights. All of the farm employees were milling around in here, as were Ushijima and Tendou. Suga was leaning against the back food table, along with Asahi and Daichi.

"This is kind of weird," Asahi said. "You're, like, our boss now."

Suga squinted. "Mm, not really. I don't really care what you do over here."

"I mean, as long as it gets sold, right?" Daichi asked sarcastically.

While that was literally the entire point, Suga was offended by Daichi's tone. And - for some reason - a tiny part of him was uncomfortable with the idea of the farm being sold. Kuroo's words echoed through his head - the only reason that someone would want to buy the farm would be to bulldoze it.

Suga was about to respond when Asahi quickly changed the subject. "Suga, have you - have you met Yachi?" he asked, gesturing across the barn. Kiyoko had just walked in from the cold, the little blonde girl from earlier trailing her. She rubbed her hands together and tucked her face into the giant scarf she was wearing, her eyes wide and darting around the barn. She looked at each person in turn, her eyes lingering on Ushijima. It was dim in the barn, but Suga thought he saw her big eyes briefly fill with tears as she followed Kiyoko over to the food table.

"Hey, guys," Kiyoko greeted them mildly.

"Hey! Yachi, this is Sugawara. Yachi helps out Kiyoko, and she did all of our advertising and everything this year. She's super talented," Asahi said. Yachi smiled, her eyes still wide.

"Uh, hi! You - you own the farm, right?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Uh, yeah!" Suga said, trying to be as non-threatening as possible. "Yeah, I do."

"So you're like - our boss?" Yachi sounded like she was on the verge of panicking.

"No, no! He's not - he just inherited the farm. Do you remember his grandpa? I think you met him once. The old man who came by?" Asahi said. Yachi seemed to calm down a little bit, and Asahi smiled. "This is his grandson. He left Suga the farm. So Suga owns the place, but he's really never even been here before."

"Uh, not true. I used to come every year with my mom."

"Okay, but that was in, like elementary school," Asahi pointed out, which was true. Suga had started making excuses not to go to the tree farm once he had entered middle school. He had always thought it was corny. "And you haven't been here since Daichi took over. So it's basically a different place now," Asahi said. He turned back to Yachi and jerked his thumb toward Suga. "He doesn't know anything. Don't worry," he told her playfully.

Yachi took a deep breath. "Okay. I was scared I was going to get fired or something."

Suga couldn't help but laugh. "Why would I fire you? Are you doing something wrong?"

"Yeah, pretty much always!" she exclaimed, and then buried her face back into her scarf as she filled her chili bowl.

She and Kiyoko went over to Tanaka and Noya with their food - and apparently Kiyoko and Tanaka were cool again, because he immediately launched into some loud story. Yachi just watched, wide-eyed.

"So they're back together?" Suga asked Daichi. Last time he had gone out to the Black Cat with them - the night after he and Daichi had gotten lunch - they had still been broken up.

Daichi took a bite and nodded. "Yeah, since this morning, I think."

Suga laughed and shook his head. "Anyway, what's that little one's deal?" he asked Asahi, pointing to Yachi. "You're like the scariest guy here. Why does she like you so much?"

Asahi went red. "I'm not scary!"

Suga regarded him for a moment. "I'm pretty sure you've gotten scarier since high school, if I'm being honest. I think it's the full five-o-clock shadow. When it was just a goatee thing, it was like, maybe he's just growing it out, y'know? But now you're like. Lumberjack man."

Asahi blushed even harder. "It grows back so fast! What am I supposed to do!"

Suga shrugged. "Although I guess it's kind of balanced out by the fact that you're wearing an apron."

Asahi patted his apron indignantly. "I think it looks cute."

Suga rubbed his shoulder. "It really does. Is that why she likes you so much?" 

"I think she can sense that I'm like her," Asahi said, looking back down at his chili. "We're both messes."

"I was going to interview her - not that she had any competition for the position, just to get to know her, really," Daichi said. "But she could barely look at me, so I had Asahi do it. And then tell him what you did, Asahi."

Asahi looked despairingly over at Suga. "I knocked over the coffeemaker."

Daichi shook his head and tsk'ed disapprovingly. "All over the floor. Shattered to pieces."

"So I think because I did something stupid it made her feel more comfortable," Asahi explained. "She's a good kid. And good at her job, too. Have you seen the posters? They're adorable."

Suga had seen the posters - there were three hung on his mom's fridge alone - and they _were_ cute.

"So you guys are like, really branching out, huh? Advertising and everything," Suga said. Daichi chuckled.

"I mean, we have to. Your grandpa loved this place, but he didn't exactly leave you a lucrative business," Daichi said. "Last year we didn't break even."

It made sense, but actually hearing Daichi say it again made it feel more real. He hadn’t mentioned money again since that night at the bar. “Don’t people love this place? I mean people come here every year. How are you guys struggling so much?” Suga asked.

Daichi looked over at him plainly. "Maybe it's the free cookies."

"I mean, you said it, not me," Suga joked, trying to laugh it off. The more he learned about this farm, the worse everything seemed - and, more alarmingly, the more he found himself genuinely worried about it.

Suga glanced around, trying to change the subject. He spotted the tree cutters, who were uncharacteristically quiet near the door. They seemed to both be occupied with scarfing down chili.

"Didn't you say that there was another tree cutter?" Suga asked Daichi. "Where is he?"

"Oh, Tadashi? He had the day off today. He's -" Daichi paused, looking at the door. "Coming over here right now. That's weird. Hold on."

Suga looked and saw who had just entered - a tall, young blonde man and a shorter kid with freckles dusted across his face. The shorter one seemed to be following the tall blonde around, and they quickly made their way over to Daichi.

"Uh, Suga, this is Tsukkishima and Tadashi," Daichi said, gesturing to the two of them. "Tsukkishima helps with the -"

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" The taller one - apparently named Tsukkishima - interrupted. Daichi looked confused.

"Did something happen? We were supposed to meet at the end of the month -"

"Yes. It's... different than I thought." Tsukkishima said. What did that mean? Was it bad? What did this guy help with?

"Um... okay," Daichi said, setting down his near-empty styrofoam bowl. He followed Tsukkishima out of the barn.

They were silent for a moment, Tadashi standing awkwardly in front of them. Sugawara stuck out a hand.

"Hi. I'm Sugawara," he said. Tadashi shook his hand sheepishly.

"You own the farm, right?" Tadashi asked. Suga smiled.

"Yeah. But don't be scared. I'm not going to fire you."

Tadashi laughed nervously. "I wasn't worried about that until you said that just now."

"Did Tsukki tell you why he needed to talk to Daichi?" Asahi asked, looking slightly alarmed. Tadashi shook his head.

"He won't tell me."

"What does Tsukkishima do on the farm?" Suga asked. "He didn't look dressed to cut down trees."

Tadashi snorted. "Yeah, I can't imagine him doing that. He helps with the finances and stuff."

"Daichi's good, but accounting isn't really his thing," Asahi said. "So Tsukki does all that. Which is why I'm worried." He kept glancing back at the barn door, like he was waiting for Daichi to come back.

But Daichi didn't, and as he finished his chili, Suga decided he should probably go see what was going on. He owned the farm, didn't he? He should be able to know the financial situation, whatever it was.

He peeked his head into the gift shop, but they weren't in there. He thought for a moment and then remembered the small garage that he had vague memories of his grandfather using as an office space. It sat at the back of the farm, and the door off the side wasn't locked when Suga opened it.

Tsukkishima and Daichi were bent over a table with a number of papers spread out on it. Tsukki was sitting in a desk chair that had been pulled up to the table, and Daichi was standing with a few papers in his hand. He was shuffling through them when the door opened, and he looked up. 

"Oh, uh, hey, Suga. We - uh..." he trailed off as he read the paper in his hand, running a hand through his hair. "We were just having a quick meeting. What's up."

Suga warily eyed Tsukkishima, who hadn't looked up when Suga entered. "Uh... nothing. What's all this?" 

Suga attempted to peek at what some of the papers were, but Daichi casually put them back on the table before Suga could see. "I - it doesn't matter. Look, you - thanks for coming up here today."

"Wh - we're done? I thought you were going to..." Suga realized that this might sound desperate. "I thought you were going to show me around a little more." Suga didn't say that he had been hoping to talk to Daichi a little more, one-on-one. And maybe have sex with him in a barn.

Daichi looked preoccupied. "Uh - I mean, there's not really anything else to see. You can just, um, head home."

"Oh. Um. Okay." Suga tried to sneak one last look at the papers, but Daichi obviously didn't want him to see. "I'll just, uh. Go then." 

Daichi put down the paper he was holding and turned to Suga. "Hey, I'm sorry. That was - I'm being rude." He reached out a hand and gave Suga's shoulder a firm squeeze. "You should come up here again. I had -" he stopped for a moment and then cleared his throat. "Well. Never mind. Have a good night, Sugawara."

"You - you too." 

He looked at Daichi for a moment longer before Daichi dropped his hand from Suga's shoulder and broke eye contact. "See you later," he said, looking back up sheepishly.

"Yeah. You too," Suga repeated, quieter this time.

Suga heard their voices coming from inside the barn as he closed the door, hushed like they didn't want anyone to hear.

So obviously the farm was having some financial trouble. That was fine, right? That would be fine. It wasn't Suga's farm, not really. He didn't get any money from it. Suga furrowed his eyebrows. Was he supposed to get money from it? He didn't even know. He didn't care if he didn't, though. He just wanted to sell it and get out of here.

Right?

As he was leaving, Asahi leaned out of the gift shop. "Going home?" he called, and Suga turned.

He walked backwards toward his car and waved. "Yeah, see ya later!" he said, and Asahi waved back.

As Suga got into his car, he took a deep breath.

Sell the farm. Get home. Go back to work.

It was easy. 

So why did he feel so bad about it?

He looked down at his hands, and then realized that he was still wearing Daichi's gloves. He stared at them for a moment longer before pulling them off and stuffing them quickly in his coat pocket, starting the car and turning on the heat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi babiesss <3 I 4got to update on Friday and then I got very busy with school and work so sorry but here is your Monday update I hope u like it 
> 
> so much of this is probably ooc but i don,t..... care....... bc writing tendou Like That is fun and im love him. anyway i will have a new update for you on friday i prommy this time. everything is completely written i just hate editing it lol
> 
> also i work on a christmas tree farm during the winter months so dont fuckning test me on my Farm Knowledge <3


	5. 13 days until Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Shut up. What else did you want to tell me?"
> 
> Daichi's tone had turned playful for a moment, but he went back to sounding vaguely exasperated. "I... Hey, why don't you come up to the farm again? Just real quick. It's just - kind of a lot to say over the phone."
> 
> Suga's heart started to beat faster. Daichi wanted to talk to him in person? What about? 
> 
> _I mean, when people want to talk in person, it's either really good news or really bad news, right?_ asked some part of his brain.
> 
>  _He's still in love with you!_ screamed another, more delusional part of his brain. He closed his eyes and shook his head quickly, like he was trying to physically silence the voice. It didn't really work.

It was 2 in the afternoon the next day when Daichi called him.

"Hold on, mom, I'm getting a call," Suga said, grateful for a way to get out of her long, convoluted story about people he didn't know (or didn't remember, rather). She peeked over the counter, trying to see his phone.

"Who's calling you? Does that say Sawamura?"

Suga hid his phone. "None of your business, lady. Be right back."

"I like that boy," his mom said approvingly as he went up the stairs. "You should spend a little more time with him." He shot her a dirty glance, and she shrugged.

"Hello?" Suga asked when he had closed his bedroom door.

"Hey, Suga," said Daichi with a sigh. "So first of all, I want to apologize. I was pretty rude yesterday."

"Oh. Uh... it's okay."

"We just... well, I'm about to get into that. The point is, I'm sorry. I invited you up there and then barely even showed you around."

"It's... really okay," Suga said with a small laugh. "Really. I know pretty much what goes on up there anyways."

"Okay, well... yeah." He was silent for a moment. Then he said, "See? Apologizing isn't so hard."

"Shut up. What else did you want to tell me?"

Daichi's tone had turned playful for a moment, but he went back to sounding vaguely exasperated. "I... Hey, why don't you come up to the farm again? Just real quick. It's just - kind of a lot to say over the phone."

Suga's heart started to beat faster. Daichi wanted to talk to him in person? What about? 

_I mean, when people want to talk in person, it's either really good news or really bad news, right?_ asked some part of his brain.

 _He's still in love with you!_ screamed another, more delusional part of his brain. He closed his eyes and shook his head quickly, like he was trying to physically silence the voice. It didn't really work.

"Um, yeah! I can - I can head up there right now."

"Oh, great. Yeah, I'll - I'll wait for you in the office."

"Okay. See you then."

He hung up and went back downstairs, grabbing his coat from where he had left it on the back of one of the dining room chairs. 

"Where are you going?" his mom asked as he pulled it on.

"The tree farm. Daichi wants to talk to me about something."

She raised her eyebrows. "Does he? What about?"

Suga shrugged, trying to be nonchalant. "I don't know. He wouldn't say."

His mom nodded and pursed her lips. "I do like that boy," she reminded him again. Suga rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, mom, you said."

"And you used to like him too, remember? When you two were in middle school. He was always at our house."

Suga stammered indignantly for a moment. "I didn't - I didn't _like_ Daichi. Not like that."

She raised her eyebrows. "I didn't say it was like that."

Suga looked at her for a moment, and then he quickly grabbed his keys. "Whatever. I'll be right back."

❄❄❄

Suga knocked softly on the door of the office, and he heard Daichi's voice call him in from inside. He opened the door to see Daichi sitting on the table that had had all the papers on it yesterday, although instead of being spread across the table the papers were now neatly stacked on the corner of the table.

"Hey, Sugawara," Daichi said. "Uh, you can just sit in the chair." He gestured to the chair that Tsukkishima had sat in yesterday.

"Ooh, am I in trouble?" Suga asked, trying to lighten the mood. It seemed like Daichi was setting up to tell him something important, and his solemnity was making Suga uncomfortable.

Daichi cracked a small smile. "Yep. Welcome to the principal's office."

"Shit. I knew all my note passing would catch up with me."

Daichi laughed quietly, and then cleared his throat. "So. Uh. I guess I'll just say it." He sighed. "Uh, so I had a meeting with Tsukki yesterday. Tsukki - he's, uh -"

"Your accountant," Suga finished for him. Daichi nodded.

"Yeah, basically. Um - so what he wanted to talk to me about was, uh, the farm."

 _Just spit it out,_ Suga thought. He felt his mood turn a little sour, probably because it was becoming clearer by the second that Daichi was not, in fact, about to confess his undying love.

"Yeah, I figured," Suga said slowly. Daichi laughed again, but it trailed off as he looked down at the table.

"Yeah. So - you know how I said we almost didn't break even last year?"

Oh. So that's what this was about.

"Uh, yeah. I remember that."

Daichi stood up and began to pace. "I mean, I don't even know why I'm being all coy about it. We're not making anything. Not enough - not enough people are coming, or they're not buying enough stuff, or it's just -" he sighed again. "That's it."

"So, what? You have to do more advertising? Raise prices?"

Daichi rubbed his forehead. "Tsukki says we should close after this season. Cut our losses."

"So, what? You wouldn't reopen next year? That doesn't seem so bad. It would give you time to prepare for the year after that. Save up."

Daichi looked at him. "No, Suga. Close forever."

Suga didn't know why those words made his heart sink. But they did.

"Forever?" Suga asked in a small voice.

Daichi laughed bitterly. "I mean, I know this is probably, like, good news in your head, but I promise, this place has even less of a chance of getting sold if we close down. You -"

"Why would that be good news?" Suga asked before he could stop himself.

Daichi gave him a strange look. "Because then it'd be out of your hair? Because you hate Christmas? Because you're literally the Grinch? I don't know. I just thought you'd be happy because you're an asshole."

Suga furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm not a monster, Daichi. Like - you guys love this place. I guess I don't care about it, but I -" _I care about you,_ his brain finished. He almost laughed at how stupid that would sound actually coming out of his mouth, and pushed the thought away. "-whatever," he cut off lamely. "So what can we do?"

Daichi blinked. "We? You - you want to help?"

Suga put his head in his hands. "Well, damn. Not if you keep acting like it's so crazy."

Daichi grinned maliciously. "I don't know. I just didn't expect help from such a -"

"Shut it. My question still stands."

Daichi took a deep breath and sat back down on the table. He seemed less stressed now. "I mean, the only thing I can think is community outreach. Like fundraisers and stuff? But I don't even know -"

"Like a bake sale?" Suga suggested. "Doesn't Asahi bake?" He gasped. "Everyone can bake stuff! You people do that, right? Bake?"

Daichi snorted. "What do you mean, 'you people'? You're from here, too. But a bake sale. I guess that's an idea."

"What do you mean, 'I guess'?" Suga mocked. "That's a great idea. Everyone loves bake sales."

"I mean... it's a little third grade, isn't it?" Daichi asked with a crooked smile. Suga rolled his eyes.

" _You're_ a little third grade."

"That insult is a little third grade. Here - let me get Asahi in here." He pulled a walkie talkie off his belt and asked Asahi to come to the office, and within a few moments, he peeked his head in.

"Oh, hey, Suga. What do you guys need?" 

"Hey, man," Daichi said. "I haven't really told anyone this yet, but we're like, completely fucked. Tsukki said we should close after this season. Forever."

Asahi's eyes widened, and he visibly wilted at the abrupt news. "What?" he said quietly.

"But it gets better!" Suga said. "Get this: bake sale!" he whispered, flashing jazz hands.

Now Asahi looked sad _and_ confused. "What...?" he asked again.

Daichi looked over at Suga, amused. "Sugawara thinks that we should do a fundraiser. He's volunteered you for a bake sale."

"Not just you! Everyone! Even I'll make something!" Suga said. Asahi looked alarmed.

"You - you actually want to help, Suga? No one's making you," Asahi said. Daichi poorly held back a laugh, and Suga scoffed indignantly.

"Why does everyone think that I'm so determined to see this business fail?" Suga asked. "Just - shut up, both of you. Is there somewhere closer to town that we can have the bake sale? The farm's a little far out here."

Asahi thought for a moment. "Well, there's the park. We'd have to talk to the city council, but I'm sure they'd let us use it. It's pretty close to, like, the middle of town. It's got a little foot traffic."

Suga snorted. "What foot traffic? Like three people live here."

Asahi rolled his eyes. "Shut up, man." His eyes lit up. "Ooh! And Yachi can make some signs!" 

Daichi nodded dutifully. "Okay. We can make this work. It might have to be kind of short notice but - yeah. I think we can do it. Asahi, can you go talk to some people about it? Yachi and Kiyoko and everyone?"

"And... I can tell them about the, uh, financial... situation, right?" Asahi asked quietly. Daichi thought for a moment before sighing.

"I mean, not really a point in hiding it now. Plus, we'll probably get more business if people know they're saving the farm anyway."

"Got it. Okay, I'll go put some stuff together." Asahi hurried out of the office, leaving Daichi and Suga alone.

There was a silence for a moment before Daichi said, "You know, I really didn't think you would want to save this place."

"Yeah. You mentioned."

"Like... I don't want to be mean, but I thought you were going to start celebrating."

"Why do you think so little of me? I'm not Scrooge."

"No, you're not," Daichi agreed. Suga was surprised.

"Oh. Thank you," he said curtly.

Daichi grinned. "You're the Grinch, remember?"

"Oh, shut up. I thought you were being nice to me."

"Yeah, that'll happen. Just keep waiting. One day."

"Somehow I don't believe you."

Daichi ran a finger across the table idly. "Anyway. Thanks for volunteering to help." 

Fuck, he was cute when he wasn't being such a jerk. "Oh, volunteering? No. I expect to be adequately compensated for all these killer fundraising ideas I'm giving you."

"Okay, A, you only gave me one idea. And B, how the hell am I supposed to compensate you? I don't even have enough money to run the farm."

Suga shrugged. "I guess it's going to have to be out of your own pocket."

Daichi rolled his eyes. "I already pay for half the farm's expenses out of my own pocket. I don't have any money either."

Suga sighed and thought for a moment. "Okay, I'm going to sound like a Scrooge here."

"Grinch, you mean."

"No, this one is a Scrooge thing. Okay - why do you keep doing this? How is it... I don't know. It just doesn't seem worth it. Like, you don't turn a profit. Apparently you're actively _losing_ money. Why do it at all?"

Daichi furrowed his eyebrows. "Aren't you the one who said you hated capitalism?"

"I mean - I mean _yeah_ , but -"

Daichi shrugged. "You sound pretty capitalist to me."

"No! I just mean..." Suga trailed off, because he realized that he did sound mega capitalist. _Shit, am I arguing in favor of capitalism right now? Who am I?_

"Suga, do you want to know something?" Daichi asked. 

"Sure."

"You're going to think it's corny."

"I think everything you do is corny."

"Good. Then this won't be any different." Daichi took a breath. "I mean, everyone says this kind of thing, but I do this because I love it. It's like - you get to be part of hundreds of different people's Christmas. So many people come here, year after year, with their kids and parents and grandparents and whatever. And it's like - you get to watch them grow up." Daichi shrugged. "You're part of their tradition, whether they know it or not. Whether _you_ know it or not. This is... it's a really special place. That's why I do it. Even though it makes no money."

Suga looked at him for a moment, and then looked down with a small laugh. "You're right. That was corny."

Daichi smiled. "I knew you were going to say that."

"I mean, just - wow. Like, that's some Hallmark shit."

"This whole thing is some Hallmark shit," Daichi said. Suga raised his eyebrows.

"A rare moment of self-awareness."

"Let's just hope we get the Hallmark ending," Daichi said, leaning back on the table.

"Santa comes and saves the farm through the magic of the Christmas spirit?" Suga asked.

Daichi shrugged. "Something like that. Although Santa isn't really in Hallmark movies. Not the kind we're living, anyway."

"Ah, yes. _Realistic_ Hallmark movies," Suga said sarcastically. "Because those exist."

"Shut up. You can leave now. Please."

Suga stood up and walked to the door. "You're so polite. I love how polite you are."

Daichi gave him that crooked smile. "You're welcome."

Suga had his hand on the handle, but he turned back for a moment. "I'm... I'm glad you took over this place, Daichi. I'm glad you love it so much."

Daichi gave him a strange look. "I... I do love it," he reiterated, like he couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Better you run it than me, right?" Suga asked. Daichi's eyes widened, and he looked genuinely horrified.

"Oh my God, don't even make me _imagine_ you running this place."

"Alright, shut up. I was trying to be nice. I'm leaving."

"It would be burned to the ground in two days. Jesus Christ."

"Yeah, and I would be holding the matches. Bye." Suga started to walk out, but as he stuck his hands in his pockets, he felt the thick fabric of Daichi’s gloves. “Oh, here are your gloves back.” He tossed them over to Daichi.

“I hope they were to your satisfaction.”

“Nope. They sucked.”

Daichi shrugged. “If you have any complaints you can visit our website and write us an email. We’ll get back to you in 3 to 7 business days.”

“Who is ‘we’?” Suga asked, laughing. “You have a team?”

“Yeah. You know, maybe we would have more income if I didn’t have to pay the salaries of the seven-person complaint team.” Daichi thought for a moment. “I’ll look into that.”

“I’m leaving now. Suck my ass. Thanks for the shitty gloves.”

“Gross. You’re welcome. See you.”

As he stepped out into the brisk air, Suga came back into his senses. Why had he done that? Why had he suggested the bake sale? Why had he been genuine? He felt like an idiot. Now he would have to stay longer. Maybe Daichi was right. Maybe he should have been celebrating at the thought of the farm closing down for good. Then, at least, he could just move back to the city and never come back to this god-forsaken town. He wouldn't lose anything if he left, so why stay?

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid,_ Suga thought as he got back into his car. _Oikawa's going to kill me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've learned a lot over the course of this fic but the main thing is that i dont know how to keep my update schedule. sorry bbies <3 but in my defense it has been a strange couple of days fo me so sorry about that
> 
> n e way little tiny update today bc it's just setting up the final chapters. I drafted chapter 9 last night and im so hyped ummm ive never actually finished a fic b4 this is very exciting 4 me
> 
> stay sweet little babies see you friday (hopefully)


	6. 8 day until Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Squinting against the bright light, he looked to see who was calling. Daichi? Why was Daichi calling him? He had gone out for a drink with them just last night. In fact, he could still feel it this morning.
> 
> "Hello?" he answered, aware of how hoarse his voice was.
> 
> "Hey! Did you just wake up?"
> 
> Suga sat up and stretched. "Uh, yeah. What time is it?" he mumbled.
> 
> "Uh, 10:30. Listen, are you busy today?"

Suga woke up to his phone ringing, and blindly reached out to grab it.

Squinting against the bright light, he looked to see who was calling. Daichi? Why was Daichi calling him? He had gone out for a drink with them just last night. In fact, he could still feel it this morning.

"Hello?" he answered, aware of how hoarse his voice was.

"Hey! Did you just wake up?"

Suga sat up and stretched. "Uh, yeah. What time is it?" he mumbled.

"Uh, 10:30. Listen, are you busy today?"

Suga was immediately alert. His heart began to race.

_Fuck, is this what I've come to? Do I really have a crush on him? Is this really a thing?_

"Uh, no. I'm never busy."

"Yeah, I figured. But -"

"Rude."

"Do you want to come over to Asahi's place and help us bake?"

Oh, right. The bake sale was tomorrow. "Uh. Right now?"

"Yeah, Asahi's an early riser and he said he wants to bake all day, so."

"Shit, how much stuff is he making?" Suga asked as he reluctantly pulled back the covers and walked to the bathroom.

Daichi laughed. "He's always been an overachiever. You'll come?"

Suga sighed. "Yeah, I'll be over there in a second."

Suga got dressed and brushed his teeth, not even bothering to try and deal with his hair. As he was pulling on his coat and grabbing his keys, his mom stuck her head into the foyer.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Asahi's house. Daichi invited me to make stuff for the bake sale. Did you know Asahi works at a bakery?"

She nodded. "I did know that. He's a good kid." She was quiet for a moment. "Daichi too."

"Mom. I told you to stop with that."

She held up her hands. "What? I'm just saying. They're good kids. I'm... glad you're hanging around with them again."

Suga stuck his keys in his pocket. "Yeah. I am too." He stood in the foyer for a moment before giving his mom a quick hug. "I'll see you later."

❄❄❄

Asahi answered the door wearing a pink apron that read ‘Kiss the Cook.’ "You came!" he said excitedly.

Suga was already laughing. "Who - who got you that? Why are you wearing it?" he asked, giggling. Asahi looked down at his apron and looked slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, I - ! I mean - Noya and Tanaka got it for me as a joke. Get in here, you asshole." Asahi opened the door and Suga stepped inside, still laughing. 

It was exactly how Suga imagined it - small, orderly, and cute. There was a large couch that took up most of the living room space, facing a small-ish TV and flanked by a side table, along with two large, well-kept houseplants. The kitchen branched off of the living room, and consisted of a few counters surrounding a kitchen island. Two barstools were placed in front of it, and Daichi was sitting in one. It already smelled like warm cookies.

Suga looked around approvingly. "Damn, Asahi. Nice place."

"Yeah, but the neighbors are the worst," Asahi said as he stepped past Suga back into the kitchen. He clicked on the oven light and had to completely bend over to check on its contents.

Suga looked at Daichi quizzically. "Who are the neighbors?"

As if on cue, Suga heard some sort of trap remix begin playing through the wall. Daichi rolled his eyes. "Tanaka."

"I've asked him to stop playing his music so loud, but I..." Asahi paused. "I don't want to talk about it."

Suga furrowed his eyebrows. "No, what?"

Asahi flushed again. "Well... it's gross. I think sometimes he plays the music when he - when he and Kiyoko - um, yeah. So he turned down the music for a little while, but then I could hear them... so I told him that the music was okay."

Suga had to grab the counter because he was laughing so hard. "Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. What was it like? Did he sound, like… I mean, did they sound like they were having fun?"

"Why would you ask me that!" Asahi trilled. "That's so rude! To them and me!"

"I just want to know! Like, did it sound like he’s into -"

"I'm not listening to this! You're tainting the cookies!" The timer on the oven went off, and Asahi pulled on oven mitts and slid out the tray. They smelled like heaven, and Suga immediately scampered over to look at them.

It occurred to Suga how hilarious Asahi looked in the kitchen - flour-covered pink apron, full five o'clock shadow, long hair all tied up in a bun. He was so cute. 

"Don't touch them," Daichi called from where he sat at the kitchen island. "They're not for you, you vulture."

"I'm not a vulture! I'm just looking!" Suga cried.

"I could see the look in your eyes."

Suga put up his hands and backed away from the cookies. "Fine. Whatever." He walked over to the kitchen island and surveyed the scene. 

The island was a bit of a mess, but Suga immediately zeroed in on the large mixing bowl that held what looked like the rest of the chocolate chip cookie dough. Daichi watched him.

"You can't have that either," he said, and Suga glared at him.

"I wasn't going to!"

"Sticking your hands in there wouldn't be sanitary."

"It would bake out," Suga mumbled, returning his gaze to the bowl. He had always had a sweet tooth, and the smell of cookies in the kitchen made him realize that he hadn't had breakfast.

Asahi came over to the island and picked up the tray of rolled cookie dough that was already out. "If you really want some, you can grab a spoon and scoop it out," he said helpfully. Daichi raised his eyebrows.

"You give in so easily," he scolded as Suga began frantically looking for a spoon. "Leftmost drawer."

"You just told him where the spoons are!" Asahi pointed out as he stuck the new tray in the oven. Suga quickly located the spoon drawer and dove into the cookie dough bowl. 

"Damn, Asahi. This is good. You should do this for a job or something," Suga said around a mouthful. Asahi rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, maybe I'll consider it. Seeing as how I'm not going to have a job at the farm," he said, setting the timer on the oven.

"Don't say that!" Suga and Daichi said at the exact same time. They both turned to each other, bewildered.

"Okay, damn. Kidding," Asahi said. 

"You have to be _positive,_ dude," Suga said, karate chopping Asahi in the shoulder for emphasis. Asahi yelped, but Suga continued. "If you believe that the farm is going to close then it will."

"And it's not going to, because of how great your cookies are about to be!" Daichi said encouragingly. "You're going to single handedly save the farm with your baking. How do you feel?"

Asahi gave a tiny smile in spite of himself. "Pretty good."

Suga went back to the kitchen island and scooped up another spoonful of cookie dough, shoving it all in his mouth at once. "Why are you never nice to _me_ like that?" he asked, and Daichi raised his eyebrows.

"Do you really want to get into this again?"

Suga smiled wickedly. "No. So, Asahi -" He swallowed. "- baking? You were always into it, but when did you know it was actually what you wanted to do?"

Asahi shrugged and hopped up to sit on the counter by the oven, surprisingly nimble for a man of his stature. "I - I mean, I wanted to go into, uh, fashion. And everything. But it didn't really -, it didn't end up working out." He sighed, and it sounded like he was trying not to be a downer. "So I came back here, and uh... I mean, there just happened to be an opening at the bakery. So I thought, why not try? And then I went in for a test and I was actually - I was actually better than I remembered." He laughed quietly. "I mean, it makes sense that going to art school would make you better at icing cakes, but I guess I had never thought of that."

Suga nodded and hopped up on the counter next to him. "Do you... I mean, what happened? If you don't mind me asking," he said quietly, eyeing Daichi. He was still sitting at the kitchen island. He was pretending that he wasn't listening, looking down at his phone, but Suga knew that he was. _Figures,_ Suga thought. _He wants to know just as bad as I do. He's just too polite to ask._

Asahi looked down at his lap. "I..." he started, and then trailed off. For a moment, Suga was worried that he wasn't going to go on, but he continued. "To be honest, I wasn't good at it. That's not self-deprecating. My _work_ wasn't bad - at least, I don't think so. I just wasn't good at the whole... fast-paced thing. I didn't like... I didn't like being away from home for that long." He sighed. "I mean, I went places with Noya after that. But it's not the same when you don't know if you're coming home. You can be in Europe for two weeks, but you know that you're going to come home again. It felt like I was paying too much money to just... be miserable all the time."

Suga looked down at his hands. He was glad he knew, but he felt kind of bad for asking. "Oh," he said awkwardly. He hadn't really planned on actually getting an answer.

Asahi shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, it's not... it's not a big deal. I'm happy now. Happier."

Suga hesitated for a moment, but then reached out a hand to rest on Asahi's shoulder. "Yeah. That's... that's good." He felt weird with his hand on Asahi’s shoulder, so he gave it a little pat and dropped it back into his lap.

Asahi glanced over at him, and then looked back down at his hands with a small smile. "I guess I couldn't be like you, huh? How did you do it?"

Suga laughed. "Mm, it probably had something to do with the fact that I'm fueled by spiteful rage," he said, jumping off of the counter. "Admirable, I know."

He heard Daichi snort from the other side of the kitchen. "Spiteful rage," he repeated skeptically.

Suga turned to look at him. "Uh, yeah. Literally the only reason that I went away was to prove that I could." He shrugged. "Everyone kept telling me that I couldn't, or it was too expensive, or it would be too hard for me. So I wanted to prove them wrong."

Daichi was staring at him, resting his cheek on a fist. "So. Basically. You're a baby."

"What?" Suga asked indignantly. 

Daichi smiled, having gotten exactly the reaction he wanted. "You're a baby. Someone told you no, and it made you mad."

Suga cocked his head to the side. "You don't get mad when someone tells you no?"

Daichi laughed and looked back down at his phone, which looked like it wasn't even on anymore. "Not mad enough to move halfway across the country and never talk to my friends again."

"I'm talking to you guys right now!" Suga exclaimed, and Daichi snorted.

"Not of your own free will. You're here because of the farm."

"Stop," Asahi told them playfully, and Suga felt a sharp sting on his backside. He whipped around to see Asahi, poised with the weapon - a hand towel that he had rolled up and cracked at Suga's ass. "You're tainting my cookies with your hatred."

"Not hatred. _Spiteful rage,_ " Daichi corrected mockingly, and Asahi balled up the towel and threw it at his head. Daichi attempted to dodge, but Asahi still had a pretty good arm, and it hit him right in the face.

"No spiteful rage either. They're supposed to be made with _love_. Be nice to each other."

Daichi sighed. "Alright, fine. I am proud of you, Suga."

Suga raised his eyebrows. "Is this about to be mean or are you being genuine?"

Daichi gave him a real smile. "I could be mean. But I'm not going to. You're the only one who was brave enough to get out of here, at least. There's something to that."

Suga looked at him strangely for a moment, and then looked down at his feet. It occurred to him how juvenile that looked, so he looked back up at Daichi and tried to hold his gaze. "Oh. Well. Uh - thanks."

"This is what I'm talking about! Love! For the cookies! Keep saying nice things!" Asahi exclaimed.

Daichi shook his head. "Nope. That was my one nice thing."

Asahi looked crestfallen, but he turned to Suga quickly. "Okay, then you say something nice!"

"Do I have to?" Suga whined.

"For the cookies!"

Suga sighed and looked plaintively over at Daichi. "You're good at running the tree farm." _And I want to sleep on your big strong chest. I like your stupid handsome face._

Daichi smiled. "Thank you. But you _have_ said that one before, so I don't really think it counts."

"You can't blame me for that one. It's literally the only good thing about you."

Asahi flicked Suga in the back of the head. "Just shut up, both of you. Like an old married couple."

“I would never marry him,” Daichi said matter-of-factly as he scooped up some of the cookie dough.

Suga squinted at him. “Uh, you could do way worse than me.”

Daichi looked up at him, and then rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I guess you are kind of cute.”

It was kind of pathetic that that comment made Suga’s heart flutter.

❄❄❄

"So what did you guys _do_ in Europe?" Suga half-asked, half-sang, sipping the wine that Asahi had poured him. 

Asahi was cutting the brownies. "Uh, I mean. Y'know. Just... stuff. Some backpacking and hiking and stuff."

"Like - you slept outside?"

Asahi nodded. "Sometimes, yeah. It was cool. We went fishing."

Daichi snorted. "Fishing? You were in Europe and you guys chose to go fishing? You could've, like, gone to the Louvre."

"Yeah, Noya's not really an art museum guy," Asahi laughed. "He's a little too loud for that."

"And what kind of guy _is_ he?" Suga sang, pushing his shoulder into Asahi's. Asahi looked down at him, embarrassed. 

"I don't know what you're asking," he said, feigning confusion.

Suga gave him an evil smile and pushed his shoulder into Asahi's more insistently. "You _doooo._ Did anything happen? In Europe?"

"Wh - I still don't know what you're talking about. I don't - nothing happened."

"Is that true?" Daichi asked, appearing at Asahi's other side and nudging his shoulder as well. "No late night chats under the stars?"

"Or in your tent?"

"Or by the lake? Where you guys were weirdly fishing?"

“Or in your -”

"Are you guys - what's going on? Who are you people?" Asahi finished cutting the brownies and pointed the knife at each other in turn. "I have a weapon!"

Daichi and Suga both backed away and put their hands up. "Just asking," Suga said, looking over at Daichi. He looked unconvinced.

“God, you guys are like - you two are awful together. Seriously,” Asahi said as he continued cutting. “I don’t see how you two ever stopped being friends. You’re like, the same person.”

Daichi made a face, and Suga snorted. “Not really. I think we just share a passion for being mean to you,” Daichi said, patting Asahi on the shoulder.

“Whatever. You little gremlins are meant for each other.”

Suga laughed and looked down at his watch. Jesus Christ, it was 5 PM - had he really been here for six hours already? Why wasn't he bored yet?

Daichi saw him looking at his watch. "Do you have to go?"

Suga thought for a minute and then shook his head. "Uh - no, I don't have anything to do tonight."

Daichi smiled mischievously. "Surprise, surprise."

Suga punched him in the shoulder. "Shut your mouth. You don't have anything to do either."

"What about you, Suga?" Asahi asked quickly, attempting to cleanly remove the brownies from the pan. "What kind of stuff did you do in the city?"

"Yeah, I was wondering that, too. Do you party?" Daichi asked with raised eyebrows. Suga went and sat down at the kitchen island.

"Uh, I mean - sometimes, I guess. But honestly, I mostly just worked."

"Boring," Asahi said. "Do you have any good stories? Like - I don't know. Have you ever seen a homeless guy taking a shit, like, on a cat or something? Something crazy."

Suga burst out laughing. "On a cat? No, Asahi, I haven't seen a homeless guy taking a shit on a cat. Where do you think I live?"

Asahi started laughing as well. "I don't - I don't know! You just hear about stuff like that. Maybe not - I mean, maybe not that situation specifically," he ceded, looking slightly embarrassed. He turned back to the brownies. "I like cats. My landlord won't let me get one."

Suga tapped on the counter as he thought. "I mean, one time my friend _almost_ pissed on a cat."

Asahi and Daichi both began to laugh harder. "So you _do_ have a story like that!" Asahi said. "You made me feel stupid for asking but it's literally happened!"

"Why are you friends with someone who would piss on a cat?" Daichi asked.

"He _almost_ pissed on a cat. And he didn't know it was there."

"Who is he?" Daichi asked.

"Oh, he's just - he's my coworker. His name is Oikawa."

“Isn’t he the one who broke his hand trying to punch some guy or something?” Asahi asked.

“That’s the one.”

"Well? Are you going to tell us the circumstances that led him to peeing on a cat?" Daichi asked. Suga rolled his eyes playfully.

"I mean, it's really not much of a story. We were kind of drunk -"

"So you _do_ party!" Daichi exclaimed.

Suga ignored him. "- and he really had to pee. And I told him that if he peed himself, I wasn't going to walk with him. So we were walking home, and he was like 'I really have to go,' so I was like - I was like 'just go like in the alleyway or something. So he's like, 'okay,' and he goes into the alleyway and starts to piss on the trash. And then right when he starts peeing, this cat just runs at him out of nowhere. But he's already peeing, so it's hard to, like, stop -" Suga paused for a moment to laugh. "So he - whatever. But he didn't pee on the cat. That’s not even a story."

"Are you sure? It sounds like he might have peed on the cat a little bit," Daichi said.

"He didn't pee on the cat!"

"Also, Daichi's right. You totally lied. You said you don't party," Asahi pointed out.

"I don't! It was one time!"

"Mm, I don't buy it. I think you're a party animal," Daichi said.

Asahi was sticking the brownies into individual plastic bags now. "Yeah. I bet _you're_ actually the one who peed on the cat," he said.

"Okay, not true."

Asahi shrugged. "You never know. Maybe you were so turnt that your brain jumbled it all up."

"I wasn't -"

Suga was cut off by a loud knock at the door. "Let us in!" called a familiar voice, although Suga couldn't place it.

Asahi looked at Daichi. "Did you invite him?" he asked. Daichi shook his head.

Asahi sighed and went over to the door. Standing in the doorway when he opened it was Bokuto, the bartender at the Black Cat. With him was his friend, although Suga couldn't remember his name. He had only met the friend once, when he had briefly come out of the back room at the bar one night when Suga had been out with everyone. He looked like Bokuto's polar opposite.

"Hey! We saw your cars outside. Are you hanging out without us?" Bokuto asked, pushing past Asahi without waiting for an invitation.

"I told him we probably shouldn't impose," the quieter guy said in explanation. Asahi waved a hand. 

"No, it's cool, Akaashi. We're just making stuff for the bake sale."

"Yeah, I could smell that shit from outside! Where are the cookies?" Bokuto asked, scampering into the kitchen.

"There is literally no way you smelled them from outside," Daichi said as Bokuto stuffed one of the cookies on the cooling tray into his mouth whole.

"I did," he said, crumbs flying. "I've got a nose like a bloodhound."

"He really does," Akaashi affirmed as he stepped into the kitchen. "We don't have to stay long."

"Only as long as it takes me to eat all of these," Bokuto said, stuffing another cookie into his mouth.

"No, it's no problem! The more the merrier. You guys can help!" Asahi said. "It's not like these guys are doing anything to help me," he added, gesturing toward Daichi and Suga.

"I think that either of us helping would probably just hinder your artistic process, Asahi," Suga said, taking a cookie for himself.

"Careful, those aren't keto," Daichi said. Suga stopped.

"I completely forgot that I was on keto."

"What the fuck is keto?" Bokuto asked, and then gasped before he got an answer. "You have brownies too?!"

Bokuto quickly lost interest in hearing about keto and dove over to the brownies. 

"You can't just eat all of them! They're for the bake sale!" Asahi exclaimed, laughing.

Bokuto turned like a criminal caught in the act, three brownies balanced in one hand and a half-eaten one in the other. "Bake sale?"

Asahi started laughing harder. "Yes! We told you about this! I literally told you when you came in three seconds ago. Why did you think we were making all this stuff?"

"I dunno. For fun?" Bokuto suggested. He hesitantly put back one brownie (after carefully selecting the smallest one). "Is that better?"

Asahi playfully rolled his eyes. "I guess so. But no more."

Bokuto looked sorrowfully at the tray of brownies, and Akaashi placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. "You still have those three," he reminded Bokuto patiently.

"Um, two. This one is almost gone," he said, holding up the one he had already bitten off of. Akaashi considered it for a moment and then took it out of his hands, carefully shoving the rest of it in his own mouth. Bokuto's face lit up with playful fury.

"You asshole!" he shouted, and looked frantically around for a weapon. "I'll kill you!"

Akaashi was trying to suppress a smile. "I wanted some," he said simply after he swallowed the brownie.

"You could have gotten a different one!"

"I wanted that one," Akaashi said with a shrug. Bokuto suddenly smiled smugly.

"That one had my spit on it. You wanted my spit brownie."

"It just makes it taste so much better," Akaashi agreed mildly.

"True. It's the you-mommy."

Akaashi looked nonplussed, but Asahi's eyes widened. "You - what?"

"You-mommy," Bokuto repeatedly matter-of-factly. Akaashi gave a long-suffering sigh.

"Umami, Bokuto. It's pronounced umami."

"Is that not what I said?"

"Are _they_ dating, at least?" Suga asked Daichi quietly, so that Akaashi and Bokuto couldn't hear. As they spoke, Bokuto started some argument on the pronunciation of umami.

Daichi gave him a small smile. "I mean, they live together, and they run the bar together. They've never said anything, though. They might as well be married."

Suga squinted over at them. "They're definitely fuckin'," he said after a moment. Daichi, who had been taking a sip of water, choked.

"You okay, buddy?" Bokuto asked as Daichi coughed and glared at Suga. 

"Yeah, I'm -" he coughed again, trying to conceal a laugh. "I'm good. Wrong pipe."

"Oh, yeah. I get that. That happens to me all the time. With food too!" Bokuto said.

"He doesn't chew his food well enough," Akaashi said, patting Bokuto on the back. Bokuto stood proudly with his hands on his hips.

"But I'm working on it!" he exclaimed triumphantly, and Akaashi looked up at him with a small smile.

Suga shared a look with Daichi. _Definitely fuckin',_ he mouthed silently, and Daichi looked away, stifling a smile.

"Do you guys want to watch a movie or play cards or something?" Asahi asked. "I'm just about done here. Just these last cupcakes and then I think we'll have enough."

"More than enough," Daichi added. "Everyone else said they'd bring stuff too."

"I just want to be prepared!" Asahi said defensively. Daichi held up his hands.

"Just saying. I'm down for cards," he said, and Bokuto loudly agreed.

"Cool. You guys know hearts?"

❄❄❄

"Y'know, you might as well stay the night. I don't think you should be driving," said Asahi as Suga grabbed his coat to leave.

"What? Why?" Suga asked as he downed the last of his glass of wine.

Daichi snorted. He was sprawled out on the couch, one leg hanging off the side and a bowl of popcorn resting on his chest. "How many glasses is that? Five?"

"Four," Suga sniffed, and Daichi waved a hand.

"Oh, that's much better. Yeah, you're probably good to go for a drive," he said sarcastically.

Asahi was sitting on the floor under Daichi's feet. "You can sleep in the bed if you want," he suggested. "It's nice, I promise."

Suga looked down at his watch. Fuck, midnight? How had he spent this long here? Bokuto and Akaashi had left around 9, after a few spirited rounds of hearts and then many, many more rounds of casual Go Fish, which Bokuto was much better at than hearts. What had they even been doing since then?

Daichi flung some popcorn at the screen. "Boo! You know you love him!" he shouted half-heartedly at it.

Oh, right. Watching bad Hallmark Christmas movies.

Suga sighed and hung his coat back where it had been, on the back of the chair. "Fine, I'll stay, but on one condition. We have to watch something else."

"Drive home and die then. I'm watching this," Daichi said. Suga didn't know why _he_ was being an asshole and the wine - he had had more to drink than Suga.

"Come on! I get enough of this at home! Don't you guys ever get tired of the stupid Hallmark movies?"

Daichi rolled his eyes. "Fine, we can watch something else. But after we finish this one. And no."

Suga walked back over to the couch. "Scoot," he said, nudging Daichi's feet.

Daichi pulled his legs up, allowing Suga to sit down, before placing them back down in Suga's lap. Suga didn't know if his face was red from the wine or from embarrassment - all he knew was that his face and ears felt hot. He didn't know where to put his hands, so he eventually just settled for crossing them uncomfortably across his chest. Daichi didn't seem to notice.

"What's even happening in this one?" Asahi asked. "I haven't been paying attention."

"Oh, this one is good. Okay, the main lady does this thing every year where she sends Christmas cards to soldiers on active duty, and writes them all notes and all that. Well, this one soldier is really touched by it, so he comes to -"

"How does he just leave if he's on active duty?" Suga interrupted, and Daichi paused. 

"I don't really remember. But I'm sure there's a reason. Anyway, he comes to spend Christmas with her and they fall in love. Look, he just got there. She thinks he's hot, but she doesn't want to confront it." Daichi pointed to the TV, but Suga was looking disgustedly over at him. 

"You've seen it _before?_ And you're watching it _again? Voluntarily?”_

Daichi raised up his head slightly to look at Suga. "Yeah, this one plays every year."

"It's actually pretty good," Asahi chimed in from the floor.

Suga could have stood up, with how disgusted he was - but he wasn't going to, because he didn't want Daichi to move his feet. "You fucking people."

"You're not invited to our party," Daichi mumbled as he turned back to the TV.

"What party?" Suga asked.

Asahi's face lit up, and he turned around to look up at Daichi. "Oh, yeah! We're still having it?"

Daichi looked down at him. "Why wouldn't we?"

"I don't know, I just thought with - with all this, we might... I don't know. But I totally forgot!"

"What party?" Suga asked again.

"You don't need to know. You're not invited," Daichi said with a wicked smile.

"Every Christmas Day we have a big party up at the farm. Everyone's invited. There's food, and people bring guitars and stuff, and we have this big bonfire at the end. It's fun! You should come!" Asahi said, and Daichi removed one of his feet from Suga's lap to kick Asahi in the shoulder.

"I said he's not invited. You can't invite The Grinch to a Christmas party."

"Don't be rude," Asahi said. "Of course he's invited."

But Suga wasn't really listening. Maybe it was just the alcohol, but he had just been hit with the realization that life, in fact, had been going on without him. They had traditions, like Christmas day parties and bonfires. And it would continue to go on without him, after he had gone back to the city. And that... made him sad, for some reason. Yes, he loved his job. He loved his co-workers, and his apartment, and all his friends in the city. He loved Oikawa. But - alarmingly - he was starting to find that he kind of loved it here, too. 

God, he had to get the fuck out of here.

He had had that thought a thousand times, but it was more of a reflex at this point. He knew he didn’t really mean it.

"Oh, he's handsome," Suga said absentmindedly, pointing to the screen and trying to change the subject. "Is he the soldier?"

Daichi snorted. "That's the main lady's _dad,_ Suga. He's like 60."

Suga shrugged. "Dilf."

"Ew," Daichi said, scrunching up his face. 

Asahi laughed quietly. "You weren't saying that about Coach Takeda in senior year," he mumbled. Daichi's eyes widened, and Suga whipped his head over to look at him.

" _Takeda_?" Suga asked, incredulous. Daichi put his head in his hands.

"I said he was good-looking _one time_."

"Uh, that's not what I remember. I remember -" Asahi started.

"We don't need to get into that," Daichi cut him off, kicking him in the head for good measure. "Plus, he was only like 35."

"You had a crush on _Takeda?_ When Coach Ukai was _right there?_ " Suga asked, and Daichi raised an eyebrow.

"I dunno. I guess Ukai was handsome, but he smelled like cigarettes."

Suga sighed dreamily. "That just made him _more_ handsome."

"Weirdo."

"You're the one who liked your twinky little English teacher volleyball coach." Suga shrugged. "Though I guess your taste in men can't be _too_ bad, since you also had a crush on me."

There was a silence for a moment, and Suga sensed that he had said something wrong. Asahi slowly turned to Daichi, whose cheeks were turning just slightly pink.

"You liked Suga?" Asahi asked quietly, stifling a smile. Daichi glared at Suga, his cheeks going redder.

Suga grinned. "What, you didn't tell Asahi? You never talked about your big fat crush on _me,_ Sugawara Koshi -"

"He _absolutely_ never told me this," Asahi said, delighted. "Please, tell me more."

Daichi flipped over so that his face was toward the back of the couch, away from Asahi. "There's nothing to tell."

"But, like... what was it _about_ me?" Suga asked, daring to playfully poke Daichi's calf. "Just my rugged good looks? Animal magnetism? Pure -"

"No, it was because you were there, and you were nice to me. That's it. Whatever," Daichi mumbled. "I don't want to talk about it."

Suga could tell that Daichi was lying, and he poked his calf some more. "C'mon. There's gotta be more than that."

"Nope. Nothing else. I'm going to bed."

"What, you're not going to finish The Christmas Card?" Asahi asked, sounding genuinely hurt. Daichi was quiet for a moment before sighing and flipping back over. 

"I'll finish the movie. But we have to stop talking about this."

"Fine, fine," Suga agreed. He let his hands come to rest on top of Daichi's legs, trying to be casual. Daichi was warm - Suga remembered that from high school. Daichi had always radiated warmth like a space heater. He reached up and turned out the lamp on the table adjacent to the couch, and they sat in silence for a while, watching The Christmas Card. Suga had to admit, it wasn't actually _that_ bad - the plot was cheesy, but the acting didn't suck.

They had been watching for about 20 minutes when Asahi giggled from the floor. 

"What?" Daichi mumbled.

"Nothing."

"What, what are you laughing about?" Suga asked.

"I just - forget it. Nothing. Just remembered something funny."

"Now you have to tell us," Suga said.

Asahi snorted again. "Daichi liked you," he said in a small, amused voice, and Daichi kicked him in the head again. It actually sounded kind of painful this time.

"Just quit it already."

"I just - it's so weird. I can't imagine high school you liking someone," Asahi said.

"Yeah, well. That's probably because I only ever liked one person."

Suga was glad that the light was off, so that Daichi couldn't see his face. He suddenly felt very conscious of every point of contact between them - this was the most they had touched each other since Suga had come back. Legs resting against knees. Hands resting on top of shins and calves.

Asahi laughed. "Right. Takeda."

"No, dipshit."

"You really only ever liked Suga? For real?" Asahi asked.

"Oh, shut up, Mr. Nishinoya Yuu. Yeah."

"I guess this is kind of weird, then, huh?" Asahi asked, and both Suga and Daichi furrowed their eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" Daichi asked. Asahi shrugged.

"I mean - he was the only person you ever liked in high school. That's obviously important. And now he's just - I don't know. He's just here, and you're here, and you're basically in his lap."

Daichi glanced over at Suga, as if just realizing that his legs were on top of him. "Yeah, well. He's a good footrest."

"Gee, thanks," Suga said.

"And I don't like him _now._ "

"I'm right here," Suga said. "You don't have to talk about me in the third person." Daichi turned to look at him.

"I'm not still in love with you," Daichi said slowly.

 _Really? Not even a little bit?_ Suga almost asked.

"That's not what I was saying. Just... like... none of us ever would have thought that this was where we would be after high school. But we're all back here, and we're all... together again," Asahi said. It came out strangely quiet and tender - just sweet enough to be awkward.

Asahi's words hung in the air for a moment before he shook his head and cleared his throat. "Uh, anyway. Do you guys want to sleep there? I'll go get you blankets," he said, not waiting for an answer. He clambered up to his feet and set off for the bedroom.

"Oh, are we - ?" Suga asked.

"Here, uh - " Daichi said at the same time. He began to maneuver his legs off of Suga's. "Here. Now you put your feet here. So we can both lay down."

Suga did as Daichi directed, so that his feet were up near Daichi's chest and vice versa. "You know, I can - I can just sleep on the floor," Suga suggested, but Daichi shook his head. 

"No use sleeping on the floor when there's a perfectly fine couch."

Suga couldn't argue with that. Asahi came back and tossed a large, comfortable quilt over the both of them. Then he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Oh, actually, do you guys want separate ones?" Asahi asked. Before Suga could answer, Daichi waved a hand.

"Nah, it's fine. This one is good."

"Are you sure?" Suga asked. Sleeping this close to Daichi was already nerve-racking enough - sharing a blanket even more so.

Daichi raised an eyebrow. "I don't have a problem with it." He smiled smugly. "What? Do _you_ have a crush on _me_ now?"

Suga felt his heart quicken despite himself. Daichi had to know what he was doing. He had to. He couldn’t just _say_ things like that without knowing what he was doing, right? Suga stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry. Daichi giggled sleepily.

"Really mature."

"Shut up and watch the stupid Christmas movie," Suga said, wiggling down into the covers as Asahi laid down on the sort of blanket bedding sturcture he had built out of pillows and extra blankets on the floor.

So they shut up and watched the stupid Christmas movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiiiiiiiiii babiezz <3 wats up.. i hope u like this chapter haha,
> 
> i had a little bit of a </3 mnetal brekadown .. but i m okay now :) so expect updates actually on time lolz
> 
> i edited this chapter instead of finishing my missing assignments do you think i could turn this chapter in instead of my essay for english


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